The Fire In The Soul
by CarVie16
Summary: Takes place one year after "Call Me A Schemer, Call Me A Freak." A secret society has finally revealed itself, led by a mysterious masked knight, who seeks to usurp the throne. Ben needs all the help he can get, but Mal is still in hiding, and Carlos passed away. Can Ben survive the tyranny of the society? Will Mal reveal to Auradon that she's alive? Who is the society's leader?
1. The Fire Ranger

**Here's the newest story in my Descendants series. I hope you've read my previous stories. Enjoy.**

 **Note: _Italics_ in this chapter mean narration by Mal.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

 _"Hi, everyone. It's me. The thought-to-be-dead but still-alive daughter of Maleficent. This is a whole new chapter to my story. I'm sure this question has been buzzing around your head since the ending of that wild adventure on the Forgotten Island. 'When is Mal going to tell everyone that she's alive?' But that's not the focus of this story. Have you ever heard of the saying, 'Things are not always as what they seem.' For example, you may think that all fire does is burn everything to the ground, but there is one type of fire that only burns something down in order to create something new. Believe me? Well, I'm just gonna cut to the story, and maybe you'll see my point."_

* * *

Several men and women are gathering in an abandoned warehouse in a secluded area in the middle of the night. They were all invited via letters, but all they say is to come to the place without telling why or who the person is. One hundred people have arrived at the warehouse. The lights suddenly turn on. They can all see an area full of electronic equipment and large TV screens. The people continue to wonder who called for them. They started hearing loud footsteps.

"Who is there?" called out a man.

No one answered. Standing in front of the people is someone wearing an unknown type of armor and a customized helmet.

"Who are you?" asked a woman.

"My name is unimportant," said the mysterious knight. The knight spoke in a female voice, but it was amplified to sound different.

"You're disguising your voice with your helmet," guessed a teenage boy.

"Smart kid," complimented the knight.

"I'm a technological expert myself," said the boy.

"Are you the one who brought us here?" asked a man.

"I did," confirmed the knight.

"Why?" asked the man.

The knight takes out a remote and turns on the screens. They showed a picture of Auradon Prep's first villain kids - Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos. "Them," she said.

"But two of them are dead," said a man.

"That's not the point," said the knight. "Let's start with what we all have in common. We all lost someone we love from the day of 'lights raining from the sky.'"

Everyone hangs their heads in grief.

"And you all know the reason for that. Maleficent," continued the knight.

"Maleficent is dead," reminded a woman. "King Ben told everyone that Mal executed her own mother."

"Again, not the point," said the knight. "Haven't you all noticed what has happened ever since our new king invited the four villain kids here in Auradon? Suffering. Misery. Death."

"What do you want to do?" asked a man.

"I want to fix this," said the knight. "I want to bring Auradon back to its days of peace and harmony before Ben sat on that throne. We spent twenty years without having to worry about villains trying to destroy everything, but that all changed when our king gave those four misfits a chance to live here."

"You want to usurp the throne? But that sounds like something a villain would do," said a woman.

"You're right," confirmed the knight. "I do want the throne, but my only wish is to end all the suffering King Ben has brought to his people. Make no question that I do believe he is a great king, but that one decision he made has caused the deaths of many. I do not even want to share my pain, but I want his reign to end."

"And you need our help? Why would he help you with this crazy idea?" criticized a man.

"I am but one person. I cannot succeed without help," said the knight. "If you all help me, I promise that I will do as I say when the throne is mine."

"The king would not approve this. You will start a war," warned a woman.

"I do not wish to spill blood. I only wish for the king to surrender his title as ruler," said the knight. "As long as the villain kids reside here in Auradon, the constant struggles will never end. We put them in their rightful spot in this world and the suffering will end."

"But this is tyranny," said a man. "You have no right to do this."

"I lost my family!" yelled the knight. She turns her back, hangs her head, and continues. "All I want is to ensure that Auradon is a safe haven once again. I am not forcing you to cooperate. I am only hoping that you can see the advantages of my vision. Auradon, free of suffering."

The people all looked at each other.

"If we join you, will you keep your promise?" asked a woman.

"On my parents' grave, I promise," said the knight. "Raise your hand if you're in."

After more exchanged looks, almost everyone raised their hands. Only one man didn't move.

"Before I raise my hand, I need your name," he demanded.

"My name is none of your business," said the knight. "But you can call me... 'The Fire Ranger.'"

* * *

 _One year later..._

At a chemical laboratory, there was a giant hole on the side of the entrance. Firemen and authorities arrived after getting a call of a fire. As soon as they arrived, they called the king. After a couple of hours, Ben, along with parents, finally arrived.

"What happened here?" asked Ben.

"A robbery, your highness," answered a guard.

"A robbery?" questioned a surprised Belle. "What kind of person in Auradon would rob?"

"We don't know," said the guard. "But we know what's stolen."

A scientist who worked in the lab stepped forward to tell the king. "The stolen chemicals make a chemical compound called ammonium nitrate, which can be used for explosives."

"That doesn't sound good," commented Beast.

"Are you sure there aren't any clues that would lead us to who broke in?" asked Ben.

"I'm afraid not," said the guard. "We believe whoever broke in caused the fire to cover his tracks."

"Times like this, I wish Carlos was here," said Ben.

"Well, he's not here. So we're gonna have to solve this mystery ourselves," said Beast.

"Can you wait here? I gotta make a phone call," asked Ben.

"Take all the time you need," said Beast.

Ben walks away from hearing distance from his parents and the people so he can talk on the phone in private. He texts Mal's number and waits for her to answer. Apparently, while trying to stay hidden, Mal gave Ben her new phone number and still trusted him not to look for her. Unfortunately, all he got was, "This is Bertha. I'm busy right now, so leave a message."

After hearing the beep, Ben says, "Hi, Mal. It's Ben. I hope you've been having fun, but now I'm asking you to come back. I don't know why, but I feel like something big is about happen, and it's not good. Someone in Auradon is planning something sinister, and you know that you're the person I trust the most with situations like this. Please, come back."

Ben ends the call and returns to his parents.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the castle of Prince Philip and Princess Aurora, lounging in the guest room is a blonde, blue-eyed teenage girl named Mal, though she prefers "Bertha" as part of her cover. She was just lying down on the couch, reading a magazine, until, from the corner of her eye, she sees her phone blinking, meaning she just received either a voice message or a text message. She looks into it and sees that Ben sent her a message. She listens to it and becomes conflicted.

 _"This is usually the time the hero asks himself, or herself, 'What am I going to do?' That seems to be the story of my life. For better or worse, I will make the choice my heart tells me to make. But to be honest, I really wish my choice results for the better. Who doesn't? If I do come back, can they ever forgive me for this?"_

 **Remember, folks, this is just the beginning. There's more to the story than how it starts.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	2. Ben's Special Guest

**I hope you're still interested in this story, because here's my latest update. Enjoy (or try to).**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

One year has past since the deaths of Mal and Carlos in the Forgotten Island. Evie, Jay, and their friends from Auradon Prep, minus Ben, have all gathered at the cemetery and visited the graves of their loved ones. They have managed to go through with their lives since the tragedy, and while they have worked for a bright future, the pain of the loss of the two villain kids still remain. Evie, despite her friends' attempts to comfort her, still remains blue from the loss of the one she loves and the one she thought of as a sister. She has been keeping a stoic face and a calm look throughout the past year, but everyone can tell that she is still in pain. Just as they were about to leave, Ben arrives in his limo.

"Where have you been?" asked Audrey.

"A lab has been robbed," said Ben.

"Here in Auradon?" questioned a skeptical Chad.

"Believe me. My mother was equally doubtful at the sound of it," said Ben. "But, yeah, it happened."

"What's going on?" asked Jay.

"Someone's planning to make fireworks, and not the crowd-appeasing kind," said Ben.

"Who did it?" asked Doug.

"We don't know, but I do know is that it's time to get back in the game," said Ben.

"Hero versus villain," guessed Evie. "Too bad Mal's not here. She loves situations like this."

"I can't be certain this is that type of situation, but if someone is crazy enough to try and blow up something, then we need the villain kids to be our heroes again," said Ben.

"There's no need to be worried. We never let you or anyone down," said Jay optimistically.

"Except for all the people who lost their families last year," said Lonnie, hanging her head.

"That's something we can't fix," said Ben in a sad tone.

"When do we start?" asked Evie.

"I invited someone to help us. We'll start when our special guest arrives," said Ben.

"Who is it?" asked Jane.

"An old friend of mine," said Ben with a smile, staying mysterious.

"Ben, stop. You're making me miss Mal even more," joked Evie with a smile. Acting mysterious was something Mal liked to do. Everyone let out a little laugh.

* * *

Later that day, in the dormitory, Evie was in her dorm working on creating weapons in case of a battle. She follows Carlos' instructions on his pad, but once again, her project literally blows up in her face. She heard a knock on the door. She unlocks the door and lets Jay inside. He immediately notices the soot on Evie's face. He saw the weapon she was working on.

"Seriously? Again?" started Jay.

"Hey, we're about to get into another fight. We might as well be prepared," said Evie.

"You have sleeping perfume and a magic mirror," reminded Jay. "Why do you need weapons?"

Evie puts her hand on Jay's shoulder and says, "Jay, you remember that we're a team. You, me, Mal, and Carlos. We all had something to contribute for every mission. Mal was our leader. Carlos had his gadgets. I had my brains. You had your skills. But since we're down two friends, we need to up our a game a little bit."

"I see your point," replied Jay. "But do you have to try making Carlos' weapons? This is, like what, the twentieth time something blew up in your face?"

"Twenty-first," corrected Evie. "You were out with Audrey that one time."

"Tinkering isn't your thing," said Jay. "Have your ever actually finished one of his weapons?"

Evie reaches under her bed and takes out a blaster. "It's a bubble blaster. I still need to work on a few kinks, but it works fine, more or less."

"I don't think that's an appropriate weapon for war," said Jay.

"Obviously," replied Evie sarcastically. "If this thing was 100%, it'll be useful, but all I can make it do is blow bubbles, and not the deadly type."

"I think it's time you stop," said Jay.

Evie hangs her head in despair.

Jay continues. "Look, I understand why you feel like you need to adapt yourselves to match Mal's leadership and Carlos' ingenuity, but you said it yourself. You have your brains. To me, that's enough. Don't try to be someone you're not."

"When did you get so wise?" questioned Evie.

"I have my moments," said Jay.

"Fine, I'll stop," said Evie.

Evie puts down the blaster and puts all of Carlos' tools back in his bag. She gives it to Jay.

"Besides, it's not just the two of us. Our friends are part of the team now," said Jay.

"Well, Lonnie has martial arts training, but I don't know about the rest," said Evie.

"Hey, they all fought in that walking skeletons fiasco, remember?" reminded Jay. "C'mon, where's the optimism?"

Evie looks at Jay and said, "Everything's gonna be fine. Good always beats evil."

"That's the spirit," replied Jay with a smile.

* * *

Outside of Auradon Prep, Ben has been standing next to his father's statue, waiting for his "guest" to arrive. Audrey has been standing at the distance for fifteen minutes, watching. There was something she wanted to talk to him about. She decided to approach him.

"Waiting for your guest?" started Audrey.

"Yes," replied Ben.

"Ben, I need you to be honest with me," said Audrey.

"Is this about me looking happy even though Mal's gone?" guessed Ben. "The others have been talking to me about this."

"Ben, I understand if you're in pain, but you don't have to hide it with a smile," said Audrey.

"Audrey, I appreciate that your care, but you don't have to worry," said Ben politely.

"You're being like Evie. Hiding your pain from others," said Audrey.

"Audrey, I can understand why you would think that. Truth is there's something I've been hiding from you, from everyone," said Ben. "When my guest shows up, I'll explain everything."

Audrey sighs. "So when does your guest show up?"

Ben heard his phone beep. It was a message from his "guest." It said, "I'm coming. Meet me outside Auradon Prep in thirty minutes."

"She'll be here in half an hour," said Ben. "Tell everyone."

"You said this guest of yours is an old friend," said Audrey. "Who is she?"

"Like I said before, I'll explain everything soon," said Ben.

Half an hour later, all of Ben's closest friends joined him outside the school. A limo arrives and stops next to the school. Coming out of the limo is a girl about their age. She had blond hair, blue eyes, and wearing bright colors. Everyone couldn't keep a straight face. Something about Ben's guest gives them a strange feeling.

"She looks familiar," said Doug.

 **I'm pretty sure you know who Ben's guest is. I'm afraid you're gonna have to wait for the next chapter to see where this goes.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	3. Ghost from the Past

**Who is Ben's "special guest"? Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

"Ben, who is she?" asked Jay.

"You guys really don't recognize me?" said the girl.

"Well, you kinda remind me of someone I used to know," said Lonnie.

The teenage girl reaches into her bag and takes out a purple wig. She puts it on and looks back at everyone. They were stunned, but none of them said a word.

The girl looks at Evie. "Hey, E."

Evie was shocked at the sound of her words. She knows only one person who would call her by her initial. She smiles, rushes towards the stranger, and gives her a big hug. The girl hugged back. The others were confused. Jay takes a good look at the stranger.

"Mal?" uttered Jay.

"Hi, everyone," greeted Mal.

"How can this be? We thought you were dead." Evie was clearly surprised.

"Misconception. I was never really dead," said Mal.

Chad looks at Ben. "You knew."

"I did," confirmed Ben.

"How?" asked Jane.

Ben reaches into his pocket and takes out a signet ring. His friends knew what he meant.

"But why didn't you tell us?" asked Jay. "We spent an entire year mourning."

"I knew she didn't want me to," said Ben, smiling at Mal.

"Don't be mad at Ben. If you're going to be mad, be mad at me," said Mal.

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Evie.

"What do you mean you were never dead?" asked Doug.

"Where have you been all this time?" asked Lonnie.

"Alright, alright, calm down," interrupted Mal, overwhelmed by the questions. "Let me explain." Mal takes off the wig and starts.

* * *

 _One year ago..._

 _Mal is attempting to use the gnomon of the sundial to contain all the dark magic her mother cast. When the sundial blew up, a beam of light breaks through the roof and rises to the skies. Mal, for some reason, wasn't destroyed by the explosion. She was inside the beam of light, in stasis. When the light disappeared, Mal was about to fall, but landed safely on a cloud. After a few hours, she was finally waking up. She noticed that she was lying down on a cloud and she can see the sunset._

 _"What just happened?"_

 _Suddenly, light magically appears in front of her. She had to shield her eyes. When the light vanished, she removes her arm from in front her eyes and saw the Enchantress._

 _"W-W-Wh... what's going on here?" asked Mal._

 _"You're alive, as you can see," said the Enchantress in a humorous tone._

 _"But how?" asked Mal. "The sundial is destroyed. I should be destroyed. Why am I here? And why am I lying down on a cloud? These things aren't supposed to be solid."_

 _"That would be my work," said the Enchantress. "And as for why you're alive, I believe it's because that beam of light was supposed to vaporize dark magic, and you don't have darkness within you anymore."_

 _"What?" uttered a confused Mal. She looks at her own hand and tries to ignite it with fire, but nothing popped up. "My magic. It's gone."_

 _"From what I can tell, you used up all the dark magic you have to destroy the sundial," said the Enchantress. "By using up all your dark magic, you lost the darkness in your blood."_

 _Mal was shocked, but she smiled. "I'm free." She realizes something. "My friends. Where are they?"_

 _"Back home in Auradon," answered the Enchantress._

 _"Carlos?" asked Mal._

 _"I'm afraid his soul has moved to the afterlife," said the Enchantress._

 _Mal hangs her head in sadness and tears once again build up in her eyes._

 _"Don't cry, my child. It's over. You have won," said the Enchantress._

 _"But I lost my friend," said Mal sadly. "And I took my own mother's life for revenge."_

 _"And how does that make you feel?" asked a concerned Enchantress._

 _"I feel like her," said Mal. "Now I can't help her anymore."_

 _"We all have a choice," said the Enchantress._

 _"I know," interrupted Mal. "Ben has told me that more times than I can count."_

 _"Your friends are in grief," said the Enchantress. "I can take you back and you can show yourself to them."_

 _Mal thinks about it. She felt lost. The pain of losing Carlos and the pain of destroying her own mother was eating her up. "No. No one can know that I'm alive. Not yet."_

 _"What are you going to do?" asked the Enchantress._

 _"I'm going to attend my own funeral," answered Mal._

 _..._

 _Days after the crisis on the Forgotten Island, Mal returns to Auradon on the day of her funeral. When she arrived at the cemetery, she stayed out of sight by hiding behind a tree where she can get a good view of her grave. When she saw Carlos' coffin lowered into a hole in the ground, tears once again rained down her face. It was hard for her to swallow the fact that her friend is really gone. Everyone started to make their speeches. Jay's speech put a smile on Mal's face and the Auradon kids made her cry tears of joy. When Ben made his speech, Mal wipes the tears off her face and her smile gets bigger. When she saw Evie leaving the cemetery, she stayed hidden from plain sight. Seeing the pain on Evie's face tempted her to come out and hug her friend, but she hesitated._

 _"I'm sorry, E."_

 _Mal takes a look at the ring on her finger. She knows that it will interfere with her intention of staying hidden. Since Ben was at the funeral, she knows the castle will be almost empty. She leaves the cemetery and rushes to Castle Beast. Without any trouble, she enters the front door and makes her way to Ben's bedroom. She takes off the ring and puts it on a table next to a window._

 _"I hope you understand."_

 _Mal returns to the cemetery after everyone returned home. However, she saw Evie was there. She listened to Evie talk to her grave. It made her fall in despair. When she heard what Evie said to Carlos, tears begin to build up. It was clear to her that Evie is suffering the most out of everyone. She can understand why. After hours of watching, she saw Evie drift to sleep from staring at the gravestones all night. It made Mal giggle a little. She sneaks past Evie quietly and looks at Carlos' grave.  
_

 _"Goodbye, Carlos. I'll miss you."_

 _She looks back at Evie. "I'm really sorry."_

 _She leaves._

* * *

Mal's story was interrupted when Audrey asked a question.

"Is losing your magic the reason your eyes and your hair are different?" she asked.

"No," answered Mal. "My hair stayed purple and my eyes were still green. I had to change my look to stay hidden."

"Well, we definitely didn't recognize you," said Jane.

"But you noticed that I still look like Mal," mentioned the ex-sorceress.

"So, why did you finally come back?" asked Chad.

"Ben," answered Mal. "I believe he said you guys had a situation."

"The laboratory robbery," remembered Lonnie. "Are you in?"

"I may not have magic anymore, but I want to help," said Mal. "Can I continue my story?"

"Proceed," replied Ben.

Mal continued. "After changing my look and making new friends, I realized that I needed a place to stay, not to mention I need to continue my studies. I went to Sleeping Beauty and Prince Philip. They took me in, adopted me, and enrolled me to a new school. To make sure I stay hidden, I changed my name to 'Bertha.'"

"That sounds silly," said Audrey, giggling under her voice.

"I know," said Mal. "It's my middle name."

"Wait? Mom and dad adopted you?" reacted a surprised Audrey.

"Yes," confirmed Mal.

"So that means..." Audrey gasped, realizing something.

"That's right, Audrey. You and I are sisters," finished Mal. She walks closer to the princess and gives her a hug. Audrey didn't hug back. She was still shocked.

"Hey, where's my hug?" interrupted Jay.

Mal releases Audrey and gives Jay a hug. Audrey, meanwhile, was still shocked, mouth agape. Jane puts her hand on Audrey's shoulder and shakes her a little.

"Audrey, are you okay?" asked Jane.

"Maleficent's daughter is my sister. Why would I be okay?" replied Audrey, sounding like she's panicking.

"Calm down, Audrey," said Jay. "You should feel lucky. I mean, I wish Mal was my sister."

"Same here," said Evie.

"We don't need to be related to be family, guys," said Mal.

Evie and Jay smiled at her.

Ben walks up to Mal. "By the way, I believe this belongs to you." He grabs her hand and slips the ring back on her finger.

Mal looks at Ben in the eye and smiles. She grabs his face and pulls him in for a kiss. The young king kissed back. Everyone around them smiled.

"You like it?" asked Mal after the kiss.

"Is this gonna be normal now?" asked Ben.

"We already had our first kiss, so yeah, it is," said Mal.

"So, Mal, since you're back, are you going to change back to your old look?" asked Audrey.

"Yeah, I am," said Mal.

"I can get my mother," said Jane. "She can change you back to normal."

"That's nice of you, Jane, but that won't be necessary," said Mal. She looks at Evie. "E, how would you like to give me a make-over? For old times?"

"Of course I do," replied Evie.

"But before we go, there's something I have to say to all of you." Mal looks at everyone. "I'm sorry I had to stay hidden for so long and keep you guys grieving. I just... I just had too much in my head. Carlos. My mom. My traumas were too much for me to bear. I know that talking about my feelings is the best way to deal with it, but you know me. I prefer to work my feelings alone. Can you forgive me?"

"We're your friends. Of course, we do," said Lonnie.

Everyone smiled at Mal, telling her that they do forgive her.

"Ben, you don't need to smile," said Mal. "You knew I was alive the whole time."

"I can't help it. I'm just glad to see you," said Ben, still smiling.

"Oh, by the way, did you hear? Sofia's back," said Evie.

"I heard she came back at the end of the last school year," said Mal. "Was there another crisis?"

"No, she just wanted to comfort us," said Jay. "But she's still here. She really wanted to be here in Auradon Prep. You can go see her if you want."

"After my make-over," said Mal. "C'mon, E."

Mal and Evie walk to the dormitory. The others smiled as they watched them walk away. They were really happy to see that Mal is alive and well.

 **I hope you loved this. Mal is back together with her friends.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	4. Old Times

**Here's my latest update. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

In Evie's dorm, Evie is helping Mal regain her old look. After Mal takes off the blue contacts, she sits down in front of the mirror as Evie begins dying her hair purple.

"I really missed you," started Evie.

"And I missed you," said Mal. "Am I still forgiven?"

"Mal, what kind of best friend I am if I don't forgive you?" replied Evie.

"I just feel so guilty," said Mal. "There you were, just a few feet away. I could've been there for you, but I let my traumas get the best of me."

"You're not the only one with traumas," said Evie.

"How were you?" asked Mal.

"A mess," answered Evie. "You can say I was like Carlos after he lost Sofia."

"Sofia helped Carlos. Didn't you ask her to help you?" questioned Mal.

"She did help me, but..." Evie paused.

"It wasn't enough," guessed Mal.

"She helped me move on with my life, but I just can't get rid of the pain," said Evie. "Losing my best friend. Losing my true love. I just couldn't let it go."

"But now I'm back," reminded Mal. "You don't have to be in tears 24/7."

"But Carlos isn't here," said Evie sadly.

"I'm sorry," said Mal. "I would give anything just to get our Carlos back, but I guess we have to face the truth for real this time. He's not coming back."

"At least you're here, and when we really need you," said Evie. "So, you said you made new friends. Can you tell me?"

"Gladly," responded Mal. "I met a little girl named Paula. She was a big fan of mine. The first time I met her, she was dressed up like me. She's the one who gave me the wig. She said it suits me better."

"Duh," said Evie with a smile. "Anyone else?"

"Evelyn," said Mal. "She's a great girl. She was a little moody because she lost someone she loved, but she's great. She's like a spitting image of myself. She's hardheaded, independent, and actually a good fighter."

"Sounds like 'Bertha' found a best friend," said Evie humorously.

"I wish I could call her that, but we never met after our first meeting," said Mal. "I still wish I can see her again."

"What about Paula? Did you see her again?" asked Evie.

"Lucky for me, she moved to Sleeping Beauty's corner of Auradon," said Mal. "Her parents were looking for a babysitter, so I volunteered."

"I'm guessing she was a little angel," said Evie.

"She was," said Mal. "We got so close that she thought of me as a big sister."

"Did you make any friends in school?" asked Evie.

"Not really," said Mal. "I was trying to stay invisible."

"And how did that work out?" asked Evie.

"It worked, but every time someone angers me, I just can't fight my instincts," said Mal. "My first fight resulted in someone getting a black eye."

"And I thought Auradon was a place full of good people," mentioned Evie.

"Audrey and Chad are examples as to why what you thought is wrong," said Mal. "But that doesn't mean they're mean. They're just being teenagers."

"That's what I once believed was the problem with the four of us. We were too much like teenagers to be truly evil," mentioned Evie.

"Despite my attempts to stay invisible, I ended up being viewed as dangerous and mysterious," said Mal.

"Sounds like 'Bertha' is a lot like Mal," joked Evie.

Mal rolled her eyes.

"So how does it feel? No more darkness," asked Evie.

"I feel great," said Mal. "To be honest, I'm still bummed I lost my magic, but I managed to live sixteen years without it, so I'll be fine."

"Then I hope the threat we're facing doesn't have magic," said Evie. "But who am I kidding? If this someone needed explosives, then it's obvious our new enemy doesn't have magic."

"Hope saying those words don't jinx you," replied Mal.

"How can I be Evie if I'm not optimistic?" pointed out Evie.

Mal let out a little laugh. "I wish I didn't have to come back on such dire situations."

"Well, it seems that our fight against evil is never-ending," said Evie.

"I wish it would end," said Mal. "All I want is a happy and peaceful future with Ben, but I guess you can't always have what you want."

"I let Maleficent come back. Arrest me," joked Evie.

"I figured that guilt would come back to you," said Mal. "Did you remember what I said?"

"'The past is past, forgive, forget,'" answered Evie. "I tried to work with it, but the pain is always in there."

"At least you were living your life and not wasting it," said Mal.

"I guess the cure for my traumas is same cure as Carlos. Seeing the one you care about alive," said Evie. "But I have to stop hoping for that."

"E, I'm sorry you felt like this," apologized Mal. "But even if you can't get over Carlos, at least remember what he always says."

Evie smiles. "He always knew what to say."

"You made him the man he was," said Mal. "And I'm proud of you for that."

"You really care about him, don't you?" questioned Evie.

"Of course, I care about him," said Mal. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Before we came to Auradon, he was just a punching bag to you. Even after the four us become one, you still despised him," said Evie. "But now that we're here, you changed your perception about him."

"Goodness brings out the best in you," said Mal. "That goodness let me give him a chance to be my friend."

Evie smiles and said, "Nice to have you back."

* * *

A few hours later, Evie gathers her friends to her dorm for a surprise.

"Ladies and gentleman. I'd like to present to you... Mal Bertha from the Isle of the Lost."

Mal comes out of the door and shows everyone her new look. Not only did Evie dye her hair purple, but she also gave Mal a make-over and a new hair style.

"You look beautiful," said Ben.

"You really know how to charm a lady, your majesty," replied Mal.

"So, are we gonna start on our new quest?" asked Jay.

"Not yet," said Mal. "I believe I remember saying that there's someone I want to see after my make-over."

"When you're ready, meet us the castle," said Ben.

Mal smiles at the king before walking away.

"I have to admit, Evie. You really know your stuff," complimented Audrey.

"Thank you," responded Evie. "If you'd like, I can do your hair on your wedding day."

"Very funny," said Audrey sarcastically.

Evie smiled, laughing.

"Looks like getting Mal back has really turned you on," said Jay.

"Can you blame me?" questioned Evie, still smiling.

"Next time, why don't you blow up a cake on her face?" suggested Jay, clearly still bothered by what happened last year.

"Get over yourself," said Evie. "Everyone's probably forgotten about it."

Jay takes out his phone and shows Evie the picture online. The photo was named, "Funniest Photo of the Year."

Evie laughed.

"Relax, Jay," said Chad. "You're still the number one star on the Tourney team. Win us another championship and everyone might forget about it."

"Just be sure to double-check your birthday cake next year," warned Evie playfully, giggling.

Evie enters her dorm with a smirk on her face, leaving Jay a little rattled.

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	5. The Wicked and The First

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In Lonnie's dorm, Sofia is spending her time doing research on England for an oral report the following week. At the same time, she is video-chatting with Felicia about their role-playing presentation that also takes place on the same day as Sofia's oral report.

"Felicia, I know you're worried, but you need to relax," said Sofia. "Haven't you done this before?"

"Yeah, but I'm always nervous," said Felicia.

"Just go see Audrey and ask her what to wear," said Sofia. "I'm sure you'll feel better after a little shopping."

"Are you making fun of me?" accused Felicia.

Sofia giggles. "I just thought you'd lighten up after you found the right outfit."

"Sorry," apologized Felicia. "I guess I should just let you focus on your report."

"Just remember. Clear your mind of all negativity. You'll feel better," said Sofia.

"I've known you for two years and you still amaze me," said Felicia.

After Felicia signs off, Sofia returns to her research, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Coming." Sofia gets off her bed to answer the door.

When she did, she saw a familiar face in front of her. "Mal?"

"The light shines in the dark, but it cannot touch the shadows," said Mal with a smirk.

Sofia tensed at the sound of those words. Mal smiled, amused.

"It is you," said Sofia. "Did you have to say those words?"

"I had to prove it to you someway," explained Mal.

"Why not just stick a sword through my heart?" joked Sofia.

Mal pulls Sofia in for a big hug. The latter hugs back.

"You don't look too surprised to see me," mentioned Mal.

"That's because I know a thing or two about coming back from the dead," said Sofia. "Nice hair."

"Thanks," responded Mal. "Evie did it. Has she ever given you one?"

"Actually, no," answered Sofia.

"Well, you should." said Mal. "Can I come in?"

"Of course," replied Sofia politely.

Mal and Sofia sit down on a bed and start talking. First, Mal tells Sofia what happened to her and where she has been for the past year.

"So, how's the traumas?" asked Sofia.

"Still in my head," said Mal. "But I'm not letting it conquer me."

"You should've asked help from a friend," said Sofia. "Talking about your feelings with someone is the best way to let go of your problems."

"I know," said Mal. "But I just didn't want to."

"Well, who am I judge you?" replied Sofia.

Mal stayed silent for seconds.

"Is there something you want to say?" asked Sofia.

"Evie told me," uttered Mal.

"Told you what?" asked Sofia.

"That you weren't completely happy about being alive," said Mal.

Sofia looks away from Mal for a moment.

"I'm sorry," apologized Mal.

"Mal, that's not necessary," said Sofia.

"I told Evie not to tell me why," said Mal. "I wanted to hear you say it yourself. Why are you not happy about being alive?"

"Mal, I am happy," said Sofia. "It's just that..." She paused.

"Let me ask you this. How does it feel like to be in the afterlife?" asked Mal.

"There are two places where the soul of someone who passes away will go," started Sofia. "There's Mount Olympus, where the souls of the kind and generous can rest in peace. Then there's the Underworld..."

"Where bad souls suffer for all eternity," interrupted Mal. "I know. It's Hades' world."

"At first, I thought I was doomed to suffer in the Underworld because of everything I've done, but my soul woke up on Mount Olympus," said Sofia. "It was wonderful. No problems. No worries. Nothing but peace."

Mal hangs her head. Sofia notices it.

"Mal, you don't have to feel bad," said Sofia. "An eternity of peace maybe the most wonderful thing that can ever happen to someone, but I don't mind coming back. On Mount Olympus, I wasn't completely at peace. Just thinking about how much my friends and my family were suffering kept me from truly resting in peace. But now that I'm back, I get to see the smiles on the faces of everyone I love."

"So, you're really happy?" asked Mal.

"As lovely as Mount Olympus may be, nothing compares to the company of those you care about," said Sofia. "Again. Thank you."

Mal smiles.

"Mal, is there any chance that..." Sofia paused.

"I'm sorry," interrupted Mal. "Carlos is really gone."

Sofia's smile dropped. "Sorry for asking."

"That's okay. I understand. We all wish for a miracle to bring him back," said Mal.

"You brought me back because of him," said Sofia.

"What makes you think that?" asked Mal, acting innocent.

"Evie figured it out," said Sofia. "You don't have to lie."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," admitted Mal. "Watching him suffer from your death was too much to bear. I thought that if you came back, he'll finally get over it."

"And it worked," said Sofia. "Well, partly. He still needed therapy for his other traumas."

"So, Sofia, how would like to join me? We have a meeting at the castle about our latest crisis," asked Mal.

"Well, everyone needs help," said Sofia. "But you'll have to fill me in tomorrow. I have some stuff to do."

"Will do," said Mal.

"It's nice to see you again," said Sofia.

"Good to be back where I belong," added Mal.

* * *

In the seemingly abandoned warehouse, some of the citizens, now dressed as knights, were practicing in the combat arena. The blacksmith was forging weapons for everyone. One knight was heading towards the warehouse office, which the Fire Ranger uses as her quarters. He knocks and she answers.

"What is it?" asked the Fire Ranger.

"Everything is set," said the knight. "We'll initiate the plan on your order."

"Excellent," said the Fire Ranger. "We start at midnight. Is everyone ready?"

"You've trained us for a year now. I believe they are," replied the knight.

"Good," said the Fire Ranger. "Let the others know. Tonight, there will be a new order in Auradon."

"If we fail?" asked the knight.

"There's always tomorrow to look forward to," said the Fire Ranger before closing the door.

The Fire Ranger returns to her private business. There was a sword on the desk, along with a few tools. It's clear that she's trying to give her weapon an upgrade.

"Be prepared, King Ben. You're about to be downgraded by the Fire Ranger."

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	6. From Sorcerer to Detective

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In the royal dining room in Castle Beast, Ben and his friends sit down for some peppermint tea, except for Lonnie, who prefers green tea. Ben decided to start the meeting.

"So, to begin, does everyone know the situation?" started Ben.

Everyone nods.

Ben continued. "Authorities have been searching for the perpetrator all day, but they have no leads. Whoever robbed the laboratory is clearly skilled at being invisible."

"What do you suggest?" asked Audrey.

"My idea was bringing Mal back," said Ben. He turns to her.

Mal sips her tea then starts talking. "Well, your majesty, usually I just hope Carlos always has the right tool for the job, but since he's not here, I spent most of my free time thinking about the situation. First thing I recommend is taking me to the crime scene."

"What do you expect to gain from that?" asked Jay.

"A little investigation," said Mal. "See what I can dig up."

"When we're finished with our tea, then I can take you there," said Ben.

"How can you be certain you can find this thief just by investigating?" asked a doubtful Evie.

"E, just like I said before. Carlos isn't here. We have to use our own brains for this," said Mal.

"Wait, guys, what if this thief isn't alone?" deduced Lonnie. "I mean, don't sinister people always have helping hands. Well, except for maybe Maleficent."

"That's a good point, Lonnie," replied Mal.

"What if blowing something up is only that start?" wondered Jane.

"That's a good point, too," said Doug.

"And what if the thief doesn't live here in Auradon?" wondered Chad.

"What makes you think that?" asked Evie.

"You remember the attack of the Queen of Hearts' soldiers, right?" reminded Chad. "What if they're not the only ones to escape the Isle of the Lost when Maleficent imprisoned us there?"

"Look at our Chad. Thinking like a smart fella," complimented Audrey.

"Well, I hope I can answer those questions," said Mal.

"Another thing," said Ben. "If this threat is as I fear it is, we need to be prepared."

"I'm guessing you want us to fight," guessed Audrey. "Can't you just let your soldiers handle this?"

"Audrey, of course I trust my soldiers to protect us, but anything can happen. If the enemy is in front of our eyes, we have to be able to defend ourselves," said Ben.

"We handle a bunch of undead skeletons. I'm sure we can take care of ourselves," said Chad confidently.

"That's my boy," replied Lonnie, smiling at the Tourney player.

"E, Jay, Lonnie, you guys handle preparing our friends for a fight," ordered Mal. "Ben and I will be at the lab."

"I think I prefer just Lonnie," said Audrey, emphasizing "just."

"Don't want your special man to teach you?" questioned Jay.

"No offense, but you and your friends can get a little brutal," said Audrey.

"Relax yourself, Audrey," said Evie. "Sure, we don't mind breaking some teeth and twisting an arm or two, but we know our limits."

"We'll be teaching the non-lethal stuff, if that makes you feel better," said Jay.

Mal finishes her cup of tea and gets up. She looks at Ben. "When you're finished, meet me outside."

* * *

Later that day, Ben returns to the laboratory with Mal. The damage remained untouched, but the authorities are still there.

"Your highness," greeted a guard. "What brings you back here?"

"My friend here would like to investigate," said Ben, gesturing to Mal.

The guard's mouth opened at the sight of the girl next to the king. "Wait, isn't she..."

"Can I at least check the crime scene?" interrupted Mal.

"You don't need his permission. You already have the king's," said Ben.

Mal enters through the hole in the wall and looks at the damage inside. Some of the mess was cleaned up, but there was still some debris left.

Mal asks a guard, "A fire was here, right?"

"That's what we saw when we got here," said the guard.

"Trying to cover his tracks. Smart," replied Mal. "The stolen chemicals. Where were they?"

"Second floor," answered the guard.

Mal and Ben take the stairs to the upper floor. There, the first thing that caught their sight is a big mess.

Mal looks at Ben. "Ammonium nitrate, right?"

"For explosives. Yeah," confirmed Ben.

Mal takes a look at the entire lab. She found a shattered glass case filled with chemicals and lab equipment. There was a big hole. Mal curls her hands into a fist and puts it through the hole.

"Someone punched through the glass," thought Mal. She knocks on the glass. "This glass is pretty strong. Even if it can be broken by a fist, it would take more than one try. And from the looks of this, it was broken by one punch."

"You're quite the detective," complimented Ben.

"All you need is a sharp mind," said Mal. "Luckily, I have one."

Mal takes a look at the mess. "You'd probably think that the thief was in such a hurry to steal the chemicals that he made a mess along the way, but the mess was actually caused by the fire."

"What about that hole on the side of the building?" asked Ben.

The king follows his girlfriend downstairs.

"Since the front door is obviously locked at closing time, the thief had to blow up a wall to get inside," predicted Mal.

"Doesn't make sense," said Ben. "Why steal explosives if you already have some?"

"Probably ran out," joked Mal. "But this break-in raises serious questions. Like, why didn't the thief blow up the door to get in the lab upstairs? A scientist had the keys in his house. Obviously, there was no report of stolen keys. Also, how come no one came immediately after the thief blew up the wall? I know it was during the middle of the night, but someone would've likely been alerted."

"You're good," complimented Ben.

"The best person you can turn to about a bad guy is someone who thinks like one," said Mal.

"So, any ideas?" asked Ben.

"Well, the fire was, indeed, caused deliberately, but that still doesn't explain how a lab in the middle of a village gets blown up and no one noticed before the thief escaped," said Mal.

"What about the shattered glass upstairs?" asked Ben.

"You wouldn't be able to break through that glass with one punch unless you're wearing armor," said Mal. "None of this is helping us get closer to the thief, but I'm certain that the thief did come here alone. Too bad I don't have my magic. I could've solved this case hours ago."

"Well, these are hard times," said Ben. "I'm sure we can..."

"Wait," interrupted Mal. "Magic."

"What about magic?" asked Ben.

"Whoever robbed the lab must've caused the fire to hide the fact that he has magic," thought Mal.

"That's actually a pretty good guess," replied Ben.

"Then we have a big problem," said Mal. "I don't know if I'm correct, but if I am, then we're in bigger trouble."

"Relax," said Ben, putting both his hands on Mal's shoulders. "Whatever we face, you always come through for us."

"I know," said Mal. "How 'bout we discuss this tomorrow?"

"Well, we need to keep our minds calm for whatever comes ahead," said Ben.

* * *

Mal and Ben return to the school and head straight for the gym, where Evie, Jay, and Lonnie were training the other teenagers. When they arrived, they saw Jay and Chad practicing with their Tourney sticks, Evie and Lonnie sparring, and Audrey sitting down with a compress on her head.

"What happened?" asked Mal.

"Your friend," answered Audrey, pointing at Evie.

"I may have went too far with the training," said Evie nervously.

"Again, what happened?" asked Mal again, expecting a clear answer.

Evie sighs and confesses. "Sneak attack training. I may have pounded Audrey in the head a little too hard."

"I'll be fine," said Audrey.

Mal giggled quietly.

"So, did you guys find anything?" asked Doug.

"Mal thinks our thief could have magic," said Ben.

"Uh-oh," uttered Jane.

"I haven't made a conclusion yet, Jane," said Mal.

"We took on Maleficent. Even if our bad guy is magical, we have nothing to worry about," said Jay, being his usual cocky self.

"Alright, everyone. Time to rest," said Ben. "We all need to be well-reseted for the storm coming."

"Ben, do you mind if me and Lonnie stay here and spar a little bit?" asked Mal.

"I don't mind at all," said Ben.

Everyone exits the gym, except for Mal and Lonnie. Mal puts on her straps and prepares to spar with Lonnie.

"You seem confident about facing this threat," mentioned Lonnie.

"I may not have magic anymore, but I still have brains and brawn," said Mal.

"I'll be the judge of the 'brawn' part," said Lonnie.

"I don't recall a time when you were the one who took me down," said Mal, smirking.

"Let's get started," said Lonnie, trying to escape the subject.

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	7. Midnight Guests

**Here's where the fun begins. Enjoy.**

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The clock strikes midnight and it was still a peaceful evening in Auradon. However, the residents of Castle Beast are unaware of unwelcome visitors coming through the front door. The knights all over the castle are locked in the prison cells below by perpetrators disguised as Castle Beast knights. The infiltrators open the door for their allies, including the Fire Ranger.

"Is every guard contained?" asked the Fire Ranger.

"Every single one," answered one of the knights.

"And the children?" asked the Fire Ranger.

"Already in progress," said the knight.

"They better not fail me," said the Fire Ranger.

"You trained us," reminded the knight.

"And I hope all that training was worth it," said the Fire Ranger.

The Ranger and her knights proceed to the second floor, where the king and his parents are sound asleep.

* * *

At the Auradon Prep dormitory, the knights split into pairs to infiltrate each room. In order to get inside, they use time bombs to blow open the doors. Of course, the explosions woke up whoever is in the room, but the knights charge in immediately with drawn swords.

In Mal and Evie's room, the knights quickly grabbed the girls, but Mal broke free. She takes the guard's sword and kicks him down. She puts the sword on the other knight's throat, threatening his life if he doesn't release Evie. The other grabs Mal from behind and retakes his sword. Mal elbows him in the helmet, but the knight counters by throwing Mal towards a wall. The collision knocks Mal out cold.

In the other dorms, the knights successfully capture the other teenagers, but not without a fight. They all regroup at the lobby with their respective captives in hand. However, one knight was empty-handed.

"Where is the other girl?" asked a knight.

The knight being questioned hesitated to answer.

"What do you want from us?" demanded Evie.

"Our leader wants a word with you," answered her captor.

"If these guys can take down Lonnie, I'm scared to see what their leader is capable of," said Jane, scared and worried.

"Oh, you have the right to be scared," said a knight.

"You're scared of your own boss," guessed Chad.

The knight flinched. "Well... you'll see why."

* * *

Back in the castle, Ben and his parents are in the throne room, tied up with burlap sacks on their heads. The knights take them off and the royal family see someone wearing a suit of armor with symbols of white fire on her shoulder plates.

"Who are you?" asked Ben.

"Shh," interrupted the Ranger. "Everything's going to be alright, my little king."

"Is something wrong with your voice?" asked Belle, stunned.

Before the Fire Ranger can respond, the other knights arrived with the teenagers in custody.

"Mistress, we have them," said a knight.

Beast was beginning to wake up. "Belle, what's happening?"

"It seems we're under attack, sweetie," answered Belle, sounding merry but clearly worried.

The Fire Ranger turns back to the captured teenagers. An unconscious girl with purple hair caught her attention. She walks up to her and slaps her in the face. Mal begins to wake up. She found herself staring at a person wearing a unique type of helmet.

"Back from the dead?" started the Fire Ranger.

"I was never dead," said Mal humorously.

"Where's the other one?" asked the Fire Ranger. "Where's the one you call 'Carlos'?"

"Hate to disappoint you, but he's not here," said Mal. "He's gone for good."

"Guess he's not as lucky as you," laughed the Fire Range.

Mal felt herself twitch with anger at the knight's mocking tone.

"I only count nine," noticed the Fire Ranger. She looks at her knights. "Where's Princess Sofia?"

The knight holding Lonnie looks at the knight next to him.

The knight in question hesitates before speaking. "I, uh, had her incapacitated, but the second I looked away from her, she was gone. Just vanished to thin air."

Lonnie giggled.

The knight continues. "Don't worry. I asked the others to look out for her."

"I will not tolerate failure," replied the Fire Ranger. "But I'll spare you the punishment if they do find her."

"Who are you?" asked Ben again.

The Fire Ranger turns around and looks at Ben. "The Fire Ranger."

"What kind of a name is that?" mocked Mal.

"I don't have time to explain," said the Ranger with scorn. "Where are my manners? I would like to introduce you to the Order of the White Fire."

"There's no such thing as white fire," said Lonnie.

"Exactly," said the Fire Ranger.

"If I may ask, why are you holding us prisoner?" asked Beast.

"Because your son's reign is over," said the Fire Ranger.

"I get it. You want the throne," guessed Mal.

"Don't think of me as your typical villain, witch," retorted the Fire Ranger. "Subjugation is not what I have in mind."

"Who are you really?" asked Mal.

The Fire Ranger draws her sword and points it at Mal's face. "You do not want to push me."

"What are you going to do about it? Kill me?" taunted Mal, baiting the Ranger.

The Fire Ranger holds back her sword and says, "That's not how I do business."

"Then what kind of a villain are you?" mocked Mal further.

"Enough!" yelled the Fire Ranger.

"Relax, your robotic mistress," said Mal calmly and humorously. "Maybe I'll take you more seriously if you loosen the robot voice. Take off the helmet and use your real voice."

In anger, the Fire Ranger punches Mal in the face. The ex-sorceress, however, just laughs.

"Is that all you got?" taunted Mal, laughing.

"Mal, are you sure now is the time to act all... Mal?" questioned Evie, worried of her friend's actions.

"Lighten up, Evie," said Mal.

"Funny. That's what I usually say to you when you're stressed out," replied Evie.

"That's enough!" yelled the Fire Ranger.

"Mal, I think you should sit this one out," suggested Ben.

"Oh, come on, Ben. I'm just trying to have fun," said Mal.

"I think she's losing her mind," whispered a knight to another.

"I can hear you," said Mal, glaring at the knight. She turns back to the Fire Ranger. "So, shiny, what do you want?"

The Fire Ranger sighs, aggravated by Mal's sense of humor.

Ben looks at Mal. "You never know when to stop, do you?"

"Isn't that why you love me?" replied Mal.

"I, uh, don't know... how to answer that," said Ben.

Enraged to the max, the Fire Ranger takes her sword and slices the king's throne in half. The rest watched as the two halves of the throne collapse. Everyone in the room says, "Wow."

"That's one neat sword," complimented Mal.

"In case you want to be on the end of it, I suggest you shut your trap," threatened the Fire Ranger.

"Alright, Miss White Fire, I'll stop," said Mal, still acting zany. "Why don't we start with a simple question? Why do you want to take over Auradon?"

"I want to end Auradon's suffering," started the Fire Ranger. "Your beloved Ben may have been praised for all the good he has done, but one decision he's made has resulted in nothing but hundreds of broken hearts."

"And what would that be?" asked Jay.

The Fire Ranger looks at the three villain kids. "Inviting your kind to our land."

"Whoa, whoa. Time out," interrupted Jay. "We've done nothing wrong. Sure, we've had a few bumps on the road to goodness, but we never hurt anybody."

The Fire Range snaps her fingers, signaling one of her knights. He throws a newspaper in front of the villain kids. They read the front page. It was about the time that mysterious light came down from the sky and took the lives of over a hundred innocent people.

The Fire Ranger continues. "For twenty years, Auradon was paradise for pure souls everywhere, but ever since you three and your other friend showed up, Auradon has become a ruin of chaos and death."

"You blame us for what Maleficent did?" questioned Evie.

"You do realize that we're not the only villain kids here, right?" added Jay.

"I don't think you should've said that," said Audrey.

"I'm just saying. Why didn't she take Harley and the other four here?" said Jay.

"Enough prattling!" yelled the Fire Ranger.

Everyone in the room remained silent.

"You have us in ropes and chains. From my point of view, you're in position to overthrow me here and now," said Ben.

The Fire Ranger kneels down in front of Ben. "I'm going to do more than just take the throne. I want you to know how much pain you've caused to your own people." She walks towards Evie and takes her sleeping perfume. She sprays Evie and the narcissist falls asleep.

"How did you know?" asked Mal.

"I did my research," answered the Fire Ranger.

"I suppose you're going to put us to sleep and take us somewhere secret," guessed Mal.

"You're a smart girl. I'll give you that," complimented the Fire Ranger.

"You don't even know it. You're playing the villain game," said Mal.

"I do know," replied the Fire Ranger. "When this is all over, you're going to see who are the true villains here."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the hallways, the knights were chatting while patrolling. Unbeknownst to them, someone is lurking in the shadows. One did see something dash around the corner.

"Hey, someone's here," he said to his friend.

The two knights ran around the corner to find the man in the shadows, but there was no one.

"Are you sure you saw something?" questioned the knight.

"Just keep your eyes open," replied the other knight.

Suddenly, three silver pellets roll towards them. They explode and cover the area in smoke. They cried for help. Other knights came, but when the smoke cleared, the two knights were unconscious. The knights kept their eyes peeled on the entire area. A mini-bomb rolls towards them. One knight was about to swat it away with his sword, but it detonated. Instead of an explosion, it releases a gas cloud that puts everyone to sleep.

Back in the throne room, the Fire Ranger just put Belle and Beast in an unconscious state with her fist. She was about to finish with Ben, but the king decided to speak.

"What do you hope to gain from this?" he asked.

The Fire Range looks at Ben closely and said, "Peace." She then puts him to sleep with a single punch. She takes out her phone and dials a number. "Is the limo secure?"

 _"Yes, mistress," answered the knight._

"We move now," ordered the Fire Ranger.

The Fire Ranger and her knights exit the throne room, only to see unconscious knights in the hallway. The Fire Ranger draws her sword and keeps an eye out for any suspicious character. All of a sudden, all the knights, including the Fire Ranger, started getting shocked by electricity. They all fall into unconsciousness. The Fire Ranger manages to get a glimpse of the infiltrator peeking around the corner before her eyes closed.

* * *

One hour later, Mal is beginning to open her eyes. She can see the rest of her friends and Ben's parents, still asleep, but no longer in ropes or chains. She looks around and saw that they were lying down in the middle of the castle hallway, but there was no sign of the Fire Ranger or her knights. She walks around the castle only to see unconscious bodies of the entire castle staff. She also found strings of rope on the floor, and deduces that they were freed. She continues roaming around the castle for their rescuer. When she returned to the ballroom, she looks outside the window and saw someone in the castle garden.

Mal walks outside to take a closer look at the uninvited guest. He has white hair and wears a red jacket along with the colors black and white. She smiles and walks closer to him. He looks at her and smiles.

 **Take a guess who...**

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	8. Forgiveness

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"Hey, snowflake," greeted Mal.

Carlos laughed. "Never thought I'd miss that. Nice to see you too, Mal."

"Strange to hear that coming from you," replied Mal.

"I guess it's safe to say you've grown on me," said Carlos.

"And you've grown on me," said Mal. "So, what brings you back from the afterlife?"

Carlos hesitated to speak.

"You're hiding something," guessed Mal.

Carlos sighs in defeat.

"That's okay, snowball," said Mal. "I know a thing or two about keeping secrets. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Carlos smiles. "So, what about you? Any reason I didn't see you in the afterlife?"

"How did you know I was gone?" wondered Mal.

"I've... been hearing... about your... sacrifice," said Carlos awkwardly.

"All I can say is that I didn't die. I just disappeared," said Mal.

"Surprisingly, I'm not surprised at all," said Carlos. "You are Mal."

Mal smiles at his compliment.

"But I have two questions, though," said Carlos. "One: Why didn't you just magic your way out of that mess back there?"

"No magic," answered Mal. She snaps her fingers, and nothing happened.

Carlos continued. "Two: Who were they?"

"They call themselves the Order of the White Fire," answered Mal. "I'm sure you've seen the one in the wicked armor. Calls herself the Fire Ranger."

"What do they want?" asked Carlos.

"The Fire Ranger wants the throne, but something tells me there's to it than that," said Mal. "Now let me ask you a question. How did you get rid of the Order?"

Carlos reaches into his jacket and pulls out Fairy God Mother's wand.

"And how did you bring down the force field guarding it?" asked Mal.

"I had help from an old friend," replied Carlos. "Don't worry. I'll put it back later."

"Where did you take them to?" asked Mal.

"To wherever they came from. Wherever that is," answered Carlos.

"What about Sofia? Is she safe?" asked Mal, worried.

"She's fine," said Carlos. "She helped me get the wand."

"She must be surprised to see you," said Mal.

"Actually, she doesn't know who she was helping," confessed Carlos. "I couldn't risk the society suspecting I was around."

"They'll be back, you know," said Mal.

"I guess it's a good thing I came back," said Carlos. "What would you guys do without me?"

"I hope you still have your tinkering magic, because there's something I need you to whip up," said Mal.

"You can count on me," said Carlos. "What are friends for?"

"But first, I want to see the look on everyone's faces when they see you," said Mal. "Especially Evie. Her world is a nightmare without you."

Carlos suddenly drops his smile.

"What's the matter? Not looking forward to see Evie?" questioned Mal.

"Of course, I want to see her. It's just that..." Carlos paused.

"Well, you don't have to tell me. You can tell her," said Mal.

Carlos remained silent, thinking about how and when he will tell his true love of his limited time in the land of the living. He knew it would only depress her that she can only see him for one week. Seeing the negative state of the tech prodigy, Mal walks closer towards her friend and puts her arms around him, pulling him into a big hug. Carlos had a stunned look on his face.

"Still not used to this," said Carlos.

"Just hug me, puppy lover," said Mal.

Carlos did as she said.

"I missed you," said Mal.

Carlos was still stunned seeing Mal act towards him like this, but he actually cracks a smile.

"What happened?" asked Carlos.

"What do you mean?" questioned Mal.

"Us," clarified Carlos. "What's changed? Before Auradon, I was your #1 victim. Even after we started to live here, I was still a disappointment to you. Why did that change all of a sudden?"

"What's the matter? You don't want us to be friends?" questioned Mal.

"Of course, I do, but I just want to understand," said Carlos.

Mal stares at the stars in the sky for a minute before looking back at her friend. "That day when I told everyone that I wanted to be good. I meant it. I wanted to change. Maybe I'll never let go of my old habits, but I wanted to show everyone that I can stray from the path my mother forced me to take. When I saw you alone and depressed that night on Ben's coronation, the first action that came into mind was just letting you deal with your own problems, but then I quickly realized that leaving someone to suffer is cruel and wrong. I reminded myself that I wanted to be good. So, you know what I did? I sat next to you and wanted to help you. I wanted to make up for all the pain I've caused you. I just never thought that... I would ever think of you as a brother I never had."

After Mal finished, Carlos began to smile again.

"I never did get to ask you. Do you forgive me?" asked Mal.

"You don't need my forgiveness," said Carlos. "The past is past, forgive, forget. It doesn't matter if you plan to make up for everything you did to me, because it's the past. There's no going back. We can only move on. And that's what I was trying to do. Forget about everything you've done to me, and just move on with my life. Auradon has not only helped me see the lighter side of life, but it has also showed me a path to a bright future. I don't have to let my past affect me all the time. The best way to remove the scars from your past is to just forget about them. If you can't, then let those bad memories teach you a lesson that will benefit you. In this case, I learned not to judge a book by its cover. I have always thought of the daughter of Maleficent as a living nightmare, and when I got to know her, I thought I was right, but after that speech you gave at Ben's coronation, not only did you help me learn about change, but you also helped me see a different side in you."

"Sometimes, I wonder how you were once a villain kid," mentioned Mal.

"You were the one who made me realize the truth of why I hesitated to change," reminded Carlos. "But you don't have to worry about my dark side. As long as I have my friends, I'll always be myself."

"Smart, sensitive Carlos," added Mal.

"I think we should get some sleep," said Carlos. "It's still the middle of the night."

"I'll be in the king's bedroom, if you need me," said Mal.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Ben is okay with that," said Carlos.

"You know him. He's always willing to see the good in the bad," said Mal. "By the way, do you think you can give our friends some pillows? The floor's pretty hard."

"Sure," said Carlos.

Mal was beginning to walk away, until Carlos spoke.

"Wait," he said.

Mal turns around and looks at Carlos.

"I forgive you," said Carlos.

Mal smiled and continued walking.

 **That's about it for now. Hope you like it.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	9. A Broken Heart Repaired

**You want Evie to see Carlos? Well, here it is. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

In the hallways of Castle Beast lies the young king himself, along with his parents and some of his friends. When the sun rises and shines its light through the windows, Ben started to open his eyes, as well as the others. They were all puzzled to feel that their heads were lying down on pillows. They helped each other stand up.

"What happened?" wondered Jane.

"We're still in the castle," said Ben.

"I thought that fire ranger was taking us somewhere," said Audrey.

"Where's Mal?" noticed Jay.

"Maybe she saved us," guessed Evie.

"I guess we all owe her big time," said Jay.

Everyone started looking for the purple-haired ex-sorceress. They looked in nearly every room of the castle, but they couldn't find her. Ben heads to his bedroom and when he opened the door, he found Mal sleeping in his bed. He can't help but smile and laugh a little. He kneels down next to his bed and hold Mal's hand, waking her up.

"Morning," greeted Ben.

"How's your face?" asked Mal.

"I'm okay," answered Ben. "Thank you."

Mal was confused. "Oh, you think that I, well... hate to disappoint you, but I'm not the one who saved you."

"Then who did?" asked Ben.

Mal just smirked. "You'll see."

* * *

Mal asks Ben to gather everyone in the living room, while she fetches their "rescuer." Mal returns and sees everyone present for their surprise.

"Alright, you can come in now," she said to someone outside the door.

Everyone's jaws dropped in surprise at the sight of who came in through the door. It was Carlos. Evie can hardly believe what she's seeing. She rubs her eyes for a second then looks again. She can still see Carlos standing by the doorway, staring at her. She began to smile. She walks closer to him.

"Tell me I'm not hallucinating," she stared.

Carlos quickly pulls Evie for a hug, proving to her that he's really there. Evie wasted no time hugging back. She started crying tears of joy.

"You're really here," uttered Evie.

"Hey, c'mon, am I starting to become the invisible one here?" interrupted Jay.

Carlos lets go of Evie and gives the ex-thief a brotherly hug.

"Happy now?" asked Carlos.

"Not as happy as I am to see you," said Jay. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm back. Does it matter why or how?" replied Carlos.

"So, you saved us?" asked Jay.

"Why do you think Mal brought me here?" confirmed Carlos.

"Wait, what about Sofia?" wondered Lonnie.

"She's fine," said Carlos.

"What about Fairy God Mother?" asked Belle.

"She's just losing her wand," answered Carlos, laughing under his voice. "She's safe."

"Point is everyone's alright, and it's all thanks to our favorite snowball," said Mal, gently punching Carlos in the shoulder.

"But it's not over," said Evie.

"Agreed," said Mal. "That society will be back for control of the kingdom. We have two items on our to-do list. Protect the king and unmask that Fire Ranger so she and I can get some real face-to-face time."

"You just laughed off her first punch, but now a second one makes it personal?" questioned Beast.

"Not really," said Mal. "I just want to know what she's hiding under that helmet."

"I'd be careful if I were you," said Evie. "Your funny side really pushed her. The next time she sees you, it could get personal."

"If her helpers were strong enough to take all of us captive, who knows what the Fire Ranger is capable of," said Doug, worried.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get started," declared Mal.

"Wait, there's something I have to do first," said Evie. She reaches for her perfume, but recalls that the Fire Ranger took it.

"Don't worry," said Carlos. He takes out a sleeping gas mini-bomb. "Mal." He tosses it to his purple-haired friend.

"On it," said Mal.

She activates it and places it on the ground next to Jay. It explodes and covers Jay in sleeping gas. He faints, only to be caught by Audrey and Chad. With Jay asleep, Evie grabs Carlos by the face and pulls him closer, uniting his lips with hers. Everyone in the room, minus the sleeping Jay, put a smile on their face at the sight of this.

"Why did you put your friend to sleep?" Beast asked Mal.

"These two want to see the look on Jay's face when they announce their engagement," answered Mal.

"Those two have been at it for thirty seconds," mentioned Audrey. "How much longer are they going to be like this?"

"An hour, perhaps," joked Mal, laughing.

After another half-minute, Evie and Carlos finally parted.

"Are you two ready now?" asked Mal.

"Don't be such a spoilsport, Mal," said Evie and Carlos simultaneously. They started laughing together.

"You two are perfect for each other," said Mal, irritated.

* * *

After Jay woke up, everyone started their day like it was a normal day, at least until Mal calls for a gathering. The VKs return to the museum with Fairy God Mother. Carlos puts the wand back in its place, and Fairy God Mother activates the force field.

"Sorry for taking it without permission," apologized Carlos.

"That's okay, Carlos," said Fairy God Mother. "Your friends were in trouble. I understand."

"How did you even get it in the first place?" asked Jay.

"Sofia," answered Carlos. "She took the wand once, remember?"

"Oh, right. The day Mal murdered her," remembered Evie, smirking at Mal.

"You guys are never gonna let me live it down, huh?" questioned Mal, annoyed.

"Sofia's alive. There's no problem mentioning it," said Jay.

"Push me too far and you'll regret it," threatened Mal.

"Good one," replied Jay, thinking it's a joke.

Mal glares at him. "I'm not kidding."

"Okay," interrupted Evie. "Why don't we start solving this secret society problem?"

The VKs and Fairy God Mother begin to depart the museum, until Mal stopped.

"Something wrong, M?" asked Evie.

"You guys go ahead. I'll catch up later," said Mal, returning to the museum.

Evie was about to follow her, but decided to leave her alone. She rejoins with the others.

* * *

Mal heads to the Villains Gallery in the museum. When she arrived, she stares as the statue of her mother. She saw the scepter's orb glowing. She knew it was the real scepter. When Maleficent was turned into a lizard, Fairy God Mother had the scepter moved to the Villains Gallery, using it to replace the fake scepter on the Maleficent statue and placed a protection spell around it. Now that Maleficent is gone, she believes there was no problem in doing it again.

"Hi, mom," started Mal. "I... I'm sorry. I really am. What I did to you... I was no better than you are. I did it for revenge. I'm sure you would've been proud if I did it to someone else. I know I've said it before that I don't see you as my mother because of everything you did to me, but... it's nice to know that deep within your heart, you do love me. I just wish I can hear you say it. I really wish you had a change of heart. We could've been a family once again. I mean... even though I grew to love Sleeping Beauty and her prince like true parents, I still wish it was you."

Mal was about to leave until she started staring at the scepter. She didn't know why, but she had a sudden temptation to reach for it and take it. She walks up to the statue and was about to grab the scepter, but fortunately, the protection spell around it zapped her, snapping her out of her mysterious trance.

"What just happened?"

She slowly backs away from the statue and leaves the museum, contemplating about what transpired earlier.

* * *

Later that day, in Mal and Evie's dorm, Carlos is playing games on his phone while Evie is doing something on her desk.

"Done," said Evie.

She shows Carlos a new jacket she made for him.

"Doesn't that look like that one I wore on Halloween?" noticed Carlos.

"Yeah, but I made some changes," said Evie.

The jacket Carlos wore on Halloween two years ago was white with dalmatian camouflage. Evie's changes to it included a white fluffy collar with black spots, resembling a dalmatian. The left half of the jacket was mostly black with shades of white for flare. The right half of the jacket is white with black spots, also resembling a dalmatian.

"Why're you doing this?" asked Carlos.

"Call it an early birthday present," said Evie. "We're at war once again, and I'm scared of losing you again, so I thought..."

"I'll take it," interrupted Carlos.

Carlos takes off his red jacket and tries on the jacket Evie made for him. "I love it," he said.

"I'm glad you do," said Evie.

The two shared another kiss. They would've lasted longer until they heard the door open. It was Mal.

"Sorry for intruding," apologized Mal.

"I think I'll come back later," said Carlos. "There's someone I need to see."

"Goodbye kiss?" asked Evie.

Evie and Carlos shared a quick kiss before Carlos left the dorm.

"Is he wearing his Halloween costume?" Mal asked Evie.

"Yeah, but I made changes to it," said Evie. "It's his new signature look."

"Have you asked him how or why he's back?" asked Mal.

"No," answered Evie. "I don't care what happened to him. He's back, and that's all that matters."

"Always looking on the bright side, aren't you?" responded Mal.

"You know me," replied Evie. "Just trying to ignore the bad stuff, and stay focused on the good stuff."

For some reason, Mal punches Evie in the shoulder.

"Ow!" shouted Evie. "What was that for?"

Mal smirks and said, "You don't need to know."

 **Carlos is back in Auradon. Hope you like this.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	10. Two Souls, One Thing In Common

**Hope you enjoy my latest update.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

In the nearest park from Auradon Prep, Sofia is picking flowers for her role-playing presentation with Felicia. When she sat down to look at her checklist, she found a white scarf with black spots.

"Carlos," she guessed.

The boy in question came out from behind a tree.

"Smart girl," he complimented.

"So, did the wand do you any good?" asked Sofia.

"How did you know it was me?" asked Carlos. "Did Lonnie tell you?"

"No," replied Sofia. "I'd give you an A for how well you hid in the shadows, but I only give you a D for your attempt to disguise your voice."

"At least you didn't tell anyone," said Carlos.

"If you didn't want anyone to know you're here, you must have a good reason," said Sofia.

"How did you even get away from those knights?" asked Carlos. "They must be pretty tough to catch Mal."

"Let's just say you should keep your eyes on me at all times," said Sofia in a mysterious manner, giggling.

"Nice to see you, Sof," said Carlos.

"Nice to see you, too," said Sofia. "Why the scarf?"

"It's on your list," answered Carlos.

"Thank you," said Sofia. She checks off "scarf" on her checklist.

"Busy?" asked Carlos.

"An oral report and role-playing on the same day next week," said Sofia. "I need to continue my research on England and finish my costume."

"Sounds like you're tired," noticed Carlos.

"I am," said Sofia. "Not even a goodnight sleep is helping."

"Maybe you should take a break," said Carlos. "Relax and enjoy the beauty of nature."

"Sounds like I'm rubbing off on you," said Sofia.

"What can I say? Almost everything about me is because of my friends," said Carlos.

"But that doesn't mean you aren't your own man," said Sofia. "You have a brilliant mind and a big heart."

"I'm surprised you don't have a boyfriend," said Carlos. "You're going to make someone happy one day."

Sofia smiled. "I think I'd rather wait until adulthood for romance."

"So, the others told me you came back here," mentioned Carlos. "Why?"

"Your friends were in pain, so I came back, but besides that, I love it here," answered Sofia. "But now you and Mal are back. Everyone's really happy."

"It just bugs me I had to come back when we're about to go to another war," said Carlos.

"That seems to be a common thing since you and your friends came here," said Sofia. Realizing how it sounds, she says, "Not that I'm blaming you guys..."

"I know, Sofia," interrupted Carlos. "Auradon hasn't been the same ever since me and my friends showed up, but we're trying our best to keep the kingdom safe."

"This... Order of the White Fire... What are they like?" asked Sofia.

"From what I've heard from the others, their leader wants control over all of Auradon," said Carlos. "Although, Mal has this feeling that there's more to that society than just want-to-be conquerors."

"Stay optimistic. It's a good way to solve your problems," said Sofia.

"No offense, but optimism isn't going to solve 'my' problems," said Carlos.

"What does that mean?" asked Sofia.

"You'll find out one day," said Carlos.

"Keeping secrets isn't a healthy habit, Carlos," said Sofia. "But who am I to say that? Clover once said I'm the very definition of a secret."

"Clover? The rabbit?" asked Carlos.

"Yes," confirmed Sofia.

"And to think, all of us once saw you as an example of perfection," mentioned Carlos. "But I guess you're just like everyone else. You have your own flaws."

"No one is perfect," said Sofia. "That's part of what makes us human beings."

"You're gonna be a great queen one day," complimented Carlos.

"Everyone says that," said Sofia.

"I guess we can't help it," said Carlos. "Even though you're not perfect, there's too much good in you that it completely hides your flaws."

"I've made my own mistakes, Carlos," said Sofia.

"But you learn from them," said Carlos.

"The point is that no matter what I am or what I am destined to be, I'm still just that little girl from the village," said Sofia.

Carlos didn't say anything. He just smiled.

"So, why the Halloween getup?" asked Sofia, noticing Carlos' jacket.

"Oh, actually, it's an early birthday present from Evie," said Carlos.

"Well, we're at war, and no one knows if we'll all be standing when it's over," said Sofia.

Carlos looks away from Sofia.

"Was it something I said?" asked Sofia, noticing Carlos' dropped smile.

"No," said Carlos. "It's just about my little secret."

"Well, I hope you know what you're doing," said Sofia.

"I came back to help you guys," said Carlos. "I think I know what I'm doing."

"Actions speak louder than words," said Sofia. "But if you say so, good luck."

"Do you mind if I join you?" asked Carlos. "I also need some relaxing."

"I don't mind one bit," responded Sofia.

The tech prodigy and the future queen then spend the rest of the morning walking around the park, enjoying each other's company.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the school grounds, Mal is standing by Beast's statue, arms crossed and a stoic look on her face.

"Where are you, snowball?"

As the time passes, Mal changes her waiting pose. One minute, she is sitting down. The next, she is leaning on the statue. One minute later, she is lying down on the grass. She takes out her phone and texts Carlos. After five minutes, she gets a text. However, the message says, "It's Evie. I have Carlos' phone. It was in his old jacket." Mal responds by sighing.

"If I was Carlos, who would I be seeing?"

After seconds of thinking, Mal came to a conclusion.

"Sofia."

She calls Sofia's number and waits for her to respond.

 _"Hello?" responded Sofia._

"Hey, Sofia," greeted Mal. "Is Carlos with you?"

 _"Yes, he is," confirmed Sofia._

"Give him the phone," demanded Mal.

 _"What's the magic word?" asked Sofia._

"Give him the phone... please," sassed Mal.

 _"Again. This time, without attitude," said Sofia._

Mal sighs. In a sweet tone, she says, "Give him the phone, please."

 _"Doesn't sound like you mean it," said Sofia._

"Sofia!" yelled Mal.

 _"Alright. Alright," gave in Sofia. She gives her phone to Carlos._

 _"Hey, Mal," greeted Carlos._

"When are you coming back?" asked Mal. "I said I needed you for something."

 _"Can you give me thirty minutes?" asked Carlos._

"My room. Thirty minutes. Not a minute longer," said Mal. Her lips curved into a smirk, then says, "You wouldn't want me to tell Evie that you're cheating on her."

 _"Mal!" wailed Carlos, exasperated at Mal's threat._

"I'm just kidding," said Mal, laughing. "But seriously, just show up A.S.A.P. We're at war."

 _"As long as you remember what Evie says. Don't stress yourself," said Carlos. He hangs up._

* * *

"Um, Carlos, what did Mal say that made you shout her name?" asked a curious Sofia.

"It's just her sense of humor," said Carlos.

"I've never been a fan of it either," said Sofia.

"No one is, not even Ben," said Carlos.

"Where does she get it from?" asked Sofia.

"Not from her mother, that's for sure," said Carlos. "It's her own."

"By the way, I never got to ask. How are you and Mal?" asked Sofia.

"We're good," answered Carlos. "She actually told me that she thinks of me as a brother."

"Good to know," said Sofia. "Are you still afraid of her now?"

"Of course, I still am," answered Carlos. "She's Mal. Magic or no magic, she'll be your worst nightmare. The difference is that she no longer tolerates me."

"Just focus on the positive side of her," said Sofia. "Unless she tries to kill you with a sword, then be afraid."

Carlos and Sofia both laughed.

"We're never gonna forget that day, aren't we?" questioned Carlos.

"Is there a problem?" asked Sofia.

"I just want to forget that day," said Carlos.

"I suppose there are some things about the past that we can't let go," said Sofia. "But relax. I'm right here, alive."

"I know, but I can still remember the pain," said Carlos.

Not knowing what to say next, Sofia just gives Carlos a hug.

"Better?" she asked.

"That's already my fourth hug in twelve hours," said Carlos. "I guess you can never feel too loved."

"We're all here for you," said Sofia. "Remember what I said in our therapy sessions. The next time you're in pain, ask for help."

"I'll always remember," promised Carlos.

 **Now that Carlos has met up with his closest friends since returning, the Descendants' war against the secret society can begin. I just need time to think. Please be patient.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	11. An Explosive Situation

**Be sure you have read the previous chapters. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

Dawn has arrived on another beautiful morning in the kingdom of Auradon. For most, it was going to be another wonderful day. For some, it was only another day in the life of war. In the grounds of Auradon Prep, the young king and his friends continue to worry about the secret society known as the Order of the White Fire. Fortunately, for them, the daughter of Maleficent and the son of Cruella de Vil have returned in their time of need.

Carlos de Vil has risen at first sight of sunlight. The white-haired tech prodigy has had trouble sleeping due to his constant worries. He has still refused to confess his secret to any of his friends. It hurts him to hide such a big secret, but he doesn't want his friends to worry about him, since they already have enough problems with the Order.

"Day Two. Relax, Carlos. You can end this before you're finished."

He looks at his work table, where his unfinished invention lies. It was the invention that Mal asked him to create. He was about to continue, until he turns his attention to a small picture frame next to his bed. It was a picture of him winning the science fair, but it was just a cover. He pulls out the picture and looks at the picture hidden behind. It was a picture of him and Evie. It just made him continue thinking about his secret.

"I'm sorry, Evie. I just don't know how to tell you."

He puts the science fair photo back in the picture frame as he walks towards his work table to continue the device. As he does, his mind wanders back to what the Enchantress told him when he chose to return.

 _"If death shall claim you a second time, not even an act of true love can save you."_

Carlos mentally scolded himself for worrying about those words. He believes that death claiming him before the seventh sunset won't matter. Either way, his soul will return to the afterlife, unless someone else he loves or someone else who loves him can save him with an act of true love. He knows that his time will come soon, but when he tells his friends remains undecided.

* * *

After the school day has ended, Mal, her friends, and their Auradon friends all gathered in the living room in the castle.

"What are we waiting for?" asked Chad.

"Carlos," answered Mal.

On cue, Carlos arrives. By the looks of him, he clearly ran all the way from the dormitory to the castle, since he's sweating and trying to catch his breath.

"You didn't need to run," said Mal.

"I thought you'd be mad if I was late," said Carlos.

"Did you finish it?" asked Mal.

Carlos gives Mal the device she asked for.

"I even had it set to track the compound you're looking for," said Carlos.

"Good boy," complimented Mal.

"Track? As in that thing is supposed to find the explosives?" asked Jay.

"In a matter of speaking," replied Carlos.

Mal activates the tracker and it pinpoints the location of the stolen chemicals. Upon seeing the location on the screen, Mal was shocked.

"What's the matter?" asked Ben.

"The stolen chemicals. They're in the Isle of the Lost," said Mal.

Everyone in the room was shocked.

"So, our thief is from the Isle?" guessed Jay.

"It doesn't make sense," said Mal.

"I fixed it the way you want it," said Carlos. "If it says it's on the Isle, then it is on the Isle."

"Look like we're going for another visit," said Mal.

"Count me out," said Audrey. "No offense, but your old home is a rat hole."

"Who says you're coming?" sassed Mal.

* * *

After lunch, Ben excuses Evie and Jay from school so they can come with Mal and Carlos to the Isle of the Lost. They take the limo to their former home. Once they parked, they came out of the vehicle to be greeted with thousands of eyeballs. Everyone was surprised to see them back home. Some little children, however, we more scared than surprised. It didn't help that Mal playfully growls at them, making them run away screaming.

"You still enjoy being feared, don't you?" questioned Evie.

Mal simply responds with a smirk.

"Guys, I found it," said Carlos.

The four VKs saw an oil drum in the exact center of the island. There was a device strapped to it.

"What is this?" asked Jay.

"My tracker says the ammonium nitrate is inside that thing," said Carlos.

"Look who decided to show up," said a familiar voice.

The four VKs turned their heads to see Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella de Vil coming their way. Carlos puts his hand inside his jacket just in case he needs to pull out one of his mini-bombs.

"Relax, Carlos. We're not here to fight," said Cruella.

"Any idea what's the deal with this?" asked Mal, gesturing to the oil drum.

"We don't know," said Jafar. "It just showed up overnight."

"What's that thing attached to it?" asked Jay.

"It's a device set to blow up the oil drum," said Carlos. "If this thing detonates, the explosion will obliterate the entire island."

"Shouldn't there be a detonator?" asked Evie.

Carlos looks back at his mother. "Is it here?"

"I'm afraid not," said Cruella.

"We've interrogated everyone on the Isle, and they all said they have nothing to do with this," said Evil Queen.

"So that means the thief does live in Auradon," said Mal.

"Why would a good guy want to kill us?" wondered a confused Jafar.

"I think I know who wants to," said Mal. "The Fire Ranger."

"Who?" asked Evil Queen.

"Some psycho with an army," answered Mal. "From what I can tell, she hates our kind. It makes sense that she wants to get rid of every villain in the world."

"Wait, we have the remote that deactivates the barrier. How did she take the explosives here?" wondered Jay.

"Probably stole it while we were sleeping," guessed Mal.

"She has the detonator," added Carlos.

"Can't you just get rid of it?" shouted a man.

"I don't think it's that simple," said Carlos. "The Fire Ranger is a cunning adversary. She stole from a laboratory without leaving any tracks. She had her men disguise as the king's guards to infiltrate the castle. For all we know, she has her eyes on this thing, and she won't hesitate to push the button when she finds out that it's been moved."

"So, what's it going to be, 'heroes?'" questioned Evil Queen, putting a sarcastic emphasis on "heroes."

"We're going to save you," said Mal.

"Why would you care about us?" questioned Cruella.

"We're not big fans of the people who live in this island, but a true hero would protect any and all, regardless who they are," said Mal.

"Boo!" shouted a little boy.

Mal turns around and glares at the little boy, causing him to hide behind his mother. She turns back to Evil Queen and said, "You have my word."

"So you're just going to leave the bomb here?" questioned Cruella.

"Like your son said, we can't take any chances," replied Mal.

"So, can we leave now?" asked Evie. "I mean, now we know where the stolen chemical is."

"Yes," responded Mal. "We have to get ready. Once we find that bucket-head, I'm gonna make her beg for mercy."

"That sounds dark," pointed out Evie.

"But it's totally me," said Mal with a smile.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but... good luck," said Evil Queen. "Make mommy proud, Evie."

"Take care, Jay," said Jafar.

"Carlos, say goodbye to my precious before you go," said Cruella, squeezing her stuffed dog.

Carlos rolls his eyes before walking up to his mother and reluctantly squeezes the dog.

"Carlos," called out Mal.

"Coming," said Carlos, running to the limo.

Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella wave goodbye as the limo leaves the Isle of the Lost.

"Do you think they can do it?" wondered a worried Jafar.

"Mal killed Maleficent. I think they can handle it no problem," said Evil Queen.

* * *

Back at Auradon Prep, the VKs gathered their friends at the hallway to discuss what they found on the Isle. The hero kids were clearly baffled about hearing that someone hailing from Auradon would willingly take the lives of hundreds with no hesitation.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but this is awful," said Chad. "We have to stop her."

"But first, we have to find her," said Mal. "We can't afford another attack at the castle."

"How are we gonna find her?" asked Evie.

"We use Ben as bait," answered Mal.

"Wait, what?" reacted a confused Ben.

"She wants you, right? So, we need you to draw her to us," said Mal.

"You're willing to put Ben's life at risk just to get payback?" questioned Audrey.

"It's not about payback. It's about saving Auradon," said Mal. "I know this is a big risk, but we need to stop them. They may not think they're villains, but they are playing the villain game. They will never stop until they get what they want. Control of Auradon."

"What do you propose?" asked Ben.

Mal puts her hand on her chin, thinking of a plan. After a few seconds, a smile creeps up on her face.

"I think it's time to tell Auradon that Mal is back," said Mal.

 **Things are about to get interesting. Be patient for the next chapter.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	12. The People Know Now

**Hope you haven't been waiting long. Here it is. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

After the school day ended, Ben sent his knights to the nearest villages to spread the word that he is making an important announcement. A few hours later, hundred of civilians have shown up at the castle, waiting for the king to arrive at the podium and speak. Unbeknownst to everyone, the VKs, minus Mal, and their friends from Auradon Prep are hiding within the crowd, disguised. Inside the castle, Mal is standing outside the king's bedroom, waiting for Ben to get ready. She takes out her phone and calls Evie.

"Is everyone in place?" she asked.

 _"We're ready," said Evie._

"Remember, don't move until I give the signal," said Mal.

 _"What's the signal again?" asked Evie._

"How could you forget?" questioned Mal.

 _"I... was... uh... looking at the mirror... while you were talking," admitted Evie._

Mal sighs. "Just get moving when things get crazy."

 _"But Mal, are you sure it's a good idea to let all these people get caught in the crossfire?" questioned Evie, worried._

"That Fire Ranger won't hurt them," said Mal. "Her conflict is with us, not with the people."

 _"When she does get here, with her army, shouldn't we evacuate the people?" suggested Evie._

"We need to keep them safe in case the situation escalates to a battle," said Mal. "But this ends now."

 _"I hope you know what you're doing," said Evie before hanging up._

Ben comes out of his bedroom in his kingly attire and the crown on his head.

"You ready, your highness?" asked Mal.

"I am," said Ben. "But Mal, I'm not sure about..."

"The people, I know," interrupted Mal. "Trust me. They'll be fine."

* * *

Ben walks outside and stands at the podium. He taps the microphone and speaks.

"Can anyone hear me?" he asked.

The nods from the people tell him that the microphone is working.

Ben clears his throat and continues speaking. "It has been one year since two of our very own have been taken from us. Mal and Carlos. But I didn't bring you here to mourn. I brought you here because a miracle has happened. Without further ado, I'd like to introduce to you a special someone we all know and love."

When Ben stopped talking, Mal comes out of the castle's front door and waves to the crowd. Everyone's mouths gaped open at the sight of the daughter of Maleficent. Mal walks up to the podium, and, surprisingly, gives the young king a kiss in front of the people. The crowd was smiling and cheering at this sight.

"Was that necessary?" asked Ben.

"Absolutely," replied Mal.

A bunch of people started asking Mal questions, but the simultaneous talking kept her from understanding. She takes the microphone and says, "Please. One at a time."

The crowd stopped.

"Let's start with Snow White," said Mal.

"The king said that you sacrificed yourself. How did you come back from the dead?" asked Snow White.

"That's a little... hard... to explain. But to be honest with you, I survived my sacrifice," started Mal. "As for why I didn't reveal myself to you a long time ago, I chose to remain hidden. My adventure in the island has given me traumas that was too much for me. I thought the best way to cope with them is some alone time."

"When did you come back to Auradon?" asked Snow White.

"Three days ago," answered Mal.

"Why?" asked Snow White.

"It doesn't matter why," said Mal. "What matters is I'm back, and I'm here to stay."

While Mal continues speaking, a person in the audience takes out a walkie talkie and speaks into it.

"Are the charges set?" she asked.

 _"Yes, ma'am," answered the receiver._

The woman turns off the talkie and slowly backs away from the audience.

"... but I assure you, if trouble should rise again, I'll be here to protect you," finished Mal. "Any more questions?"

A man raised his hand. He asked, "Are you a woman of your word?"

"Yes," said Mal. "Why? Do you doubt me?"

"As a matter of fact..." The man pulls out a detonator. "I do." He pushes the button.

Suddenly, an explosion occurred in the castle, startling everyone. Smoke started coming out from the hole in the roof.

"That's my room," said Ben.

The man with the detonator was suddenly tackled by a young woman. She reveals herself to be Lonnie.

"Where is she?" demanded Lonnie.

"She's already here," said the man.

Several people among the audience take off their shades and hats and draws their swords, scaring the public.

"Mal, I'm beginning to question your plan," said Ben, worried for his people.

Mal glares at Ben for a moment before doing a sweeping motion with her hair. Some teenagers among the audience sneak up behind the armed assailants and subdue them. The teenagers take off their disguises. They reveal themselves as Evie, Jay, Audrey, Chad, Jane, Doug, and, to the people's surprise, Carlos.

"It's Carlos!" screamed out a young boy.

The crowd started cheering. Snow White, meanwhile, turns her attention back to the young king and his girlfriend.

"Care to explain?" she asked.

"We're expecting a special guest," said Mal. "But she's not exactly very nice."

"I meant Carlos," clarified Snow White.

"I have to be honest with you, your highness. None of us have any idea. He refused to tell us," said Mal.

Back in the crowd, the VKs and their Auradon Prep friends tie up the assailants and gather them in one place.

"You think you've stopped us? We're only a fraction of the entire army," said one of captives.

"Then tell us what your boss is up to and we'll take you to prison without any damage," insisted Evie.

"We don't need to tell you," said a woman.

Carlos takes her walkie talkie and turns it on.

"Hey, Fire Ranger, this is Carlos de Vil speaking, and I think you just crashed the wrong party," taunted Carlos. "Why don't you show yourself so we can settle this mano a mano?"

 _"I believe I will," replied the Fire Ranger._

"Wow. She sounds mad," said Carlos.

 _"I can still hear you," said the Fire Ranger._

Carlos turns off the talkie.

Out of nowhere, a black cloud covers the entire area. When it disappeared, the Fire Ranger and the rest of her order are in plain sight. All the people kept their distance.

"I was right. She is magical," whispered Mal to herself.

The Fire Ranger teleports herself in front of Mal and Ben. She draws her sword and points it at Mal.

"You want me? Here I am," growled the Fire Ranger.

"Leave the people alone, bucket-head," insisted Mal. "You want me? Here I am."

Angered, the Fire Ranger slices off a part of the podium.

"Enough with your nonsensical humor!" yelled the Fire Ranger.

Mal swats the sword away from her face and said, "Nonsensical? I'm offended. Everyone loves a good laugh."

"Mal, I think it's best if you stop," said Ben.

"You better listen to your boyfriend if you know what's good for you," added the Fire Ranger. She takes out a detonator. "Now, come with me quietly, or I will have no choice but to push the button and the bomb I planted below castle goes off. With your precious staff inside."

"You don't want to do that," said Mal.

"You're right. I don't, but you pushed me to this," said the Fire Ranger.

"You do realize that all of Auradon can see you, right?" pointed out Ben.

"I am aware," said the Fire Ranger.

The Fire Ranger unleashes a magic blast that blows Mal and Ben away from her.

"C'mon, witch. A little magical bout between the two of us. What do you say?" suggested the Fire Ranger, baiting Mal.

Mal hesitated to reply.

"Oh, that's right. You don't have your magic anymore," teased the Fire Ranger.

Mal's eyes widened in shock. "How did you know?"

"I can sense the magic in others, and I sense nothing in you," replied the Fire Range.

"I don't need magic to take you on," said Mal, standing up.

The Fire Ranger turns back to the crowd. She picks up the microphone and looks at her army. "I want those kids in chains!"

The knights charged at the teenagers. The people started running away from the castle, with assistance from Ben, his parents, and Fairy God Mother. Snow White, however, refused to leave. She asks her husband, Prince David, to pick up the camera and record the action.

"This is Snow White at Castle Beast. The king is under attack by an army led by some woman in a suit of armor. Luckily for the king, the daughter of Maleficent and her friends are holding them off. You have to appreciate how such young children are so determined to protect their friend. For more details, we turn to the king himself."

Snow White turns to Ben and his parents. "Anything you want to say?"

Snow points the mic at Ben, but he didn't say anything.

"There's no use hiding anything at this point," said Belle.

With the Fire Ranger's head turned, Mal takes this opportunity to attack. She gives her a hard kick to the side. The Fire Ranger picks up her sword and tries to strike Mal, but she keeps on dodging every strike. She kicks the sword away and gives the Fire Ranger a punch to the face, but the metal helmet kept the Ranger undamaged. Mal continues punching and kicking, but the Fire Ranger was barely staggered because of her armor.

"What is that armor made of?" asked an aggravated Mal.

"You're a smart girl. Figure it out," responded the Fire Ranger.

Meanwhile, Mal's friends are still battling the Fire Ranger's army. They were having trouble as the knights seem to possess incredible reflexes and are masters with the sword.

"These guys are tough," said Carlos.

"Their boss must train them well," added Evie.

Evie was using both her hand-to-hand combat skills and her new sleeping perfume, but the knights prove tougher than she expected. Jay stole one knight's sword and uses it to fight the others, but they were giving him quite a challenge. Carlos kept using his smoke pellets to get the advantage, but after he runs out, he decided to find hand-to-hand. Audrey refused to fight, but couldn't escape the knights. Although, her constant dodging causes the knights to accidentally beat up each other. Chad was using his Tourney stick to whack the knights out cold, but when one slices it in half, he decided to stick with Jay. Lonnie uses all she learned from her parents to fight off the knights, using different kinds of martial arts combos, but her enemies fight her with as much ferocity as she does. Since Jane can't fight, Carlos gave her his bubble blaster, which Evie built, but he perfected it for battlefield use. Doug was trying his best to use what Jay taught him, but he is constantly getting punched in the face, to the point where he started to feel dizzy. Lucky for him, Jay and Chad covered for him.

"This is getting nowhere," said Carlos.

"No kidding," agreed Chad.

"Keep fighting," said Lonnie. "Don't yield."

"Easy for you to say," shouted Audrey.

Mal was still fighting the Fire Ranger, but her armor was making it difficult to hurt her. The Fire Ranger's iron fists, on the other hand, are giving Mal bruises she never experienced before. Mal tries to stay in the fight, but she was clearly weakened to the point she can't balance herself. She charges at the Ranger, but she knocks Mal down with another magic blast.

"You make me laugh," taunted the Fire Ranger.

"Funny. I was about to say the same thing," said Mal.

Mal throws another punch, but the Ranger blocks it with her hand. The Fire Ranger then puts her other hand on Mal's throat, choking her. Mal tried to remove her arm, but the Ranger's grip was too tight.

"How does it feel? To be powerless. To be defenseless. Doesn't it make you wish you still had magic?" taunted the Fire Ranger. "You made a mistake coming back from the dead. How 'bout I put you out of your misery?"

The Fire Ranger chokes Mal even harder. Before Mal was about to meet her fate, Ben sneaks up behind the Fire Ranger and grabs her, making her let go of Mal. While Mal tries to recover, the Fire Ranger elbows Ben in the stomach and uses her magic to push him away.

"This game is boring me," she said, annoyed.

"Same here, tin can," insulted Mal, trying to stand up.

The Fire Ranger takes out the detonator and pushes the button, but the bomb didn't go off. She pushes the button a few more times, but castle still didn't blow up. She started to hear laughter. She turns around and saw Carlos.

"You didn't think we'd find out about your bomb beneath the castle?" started Carlos. "You might've glued it to the ground with your magic, but I was able to jam the signal."

Furious, the Fire Ranger shoots a fireball at Carlos, but he manages to dodge the blast.

The Fire Ranger picks up the microphone and says, "Fall back!"

"But why?" asked a knight.

"We have lost our advantage," said the Fire Ranger. "We need to regroup."

The knights stopped fighting. The Fire Ranger uses her magic to maker herself and her knights disappear.

"So much for that plan," complained Mal with sarcasm.

"Are you okay?" asked Ben.

"What about you? She hit you, too," pointed out Mal.

"I'll be fine," said Ben.

"I will be, too," said Mal.

"Is everyone alright?" asked Beast.

The teenagers answered with "yes," "super," or "I'm 100%."

"If this is what a battlefield feels like, I think I prefer to run a school," commented Fairy God Mother.

"I prefer to be sitting in the sidelines," said Jane.

"So, how's the gun?" asked Carlos.

"Works like a charm," responded Jane.

Snow White returns to the scene, still reporting. "Well, it seems that the chaos has ceased, but I doubt that this crisis is over. Will they be back? Can our beloved villain kids save us once more? Until then, this is Snow White, signing off."

David turns off the camera.

"Uh, Snow, was that necessary?" questioned Belle.

"She loves this job," said David. "Sometimes, she gets into a zone."

"C'mon, sweetheart, it's time to go home," said Snow White. Before leaving, she turns to Belle. "Keep me posted. I'm sure everyone wants to know what's going on."

"Will do," replied Belle.

Snow White and Prince David left the castle grounds.

"Well, baiting the Fire Ranger didn't work," recalled Jay. "What's next?"

"I think I prefer to sleep for a 100 years," said Mal, exhausted and bruised.

"Pardon her tone. She's just sore from the battle," said Ben.

"We all are," pointed out Evie.

"Then it's best you all rest," said Beast.

The students of Auradon Prep, minus Ben, waste no time walking back to the dormitory, leaving Ben alone with his parents and Fairy God Mother.

"This society is really determined to take control," commented Belle.

"They tried to blow up the castle," reminded Ben. "I know we can stop them, but finding out how might be harder than I thought."

"Relax, son. Good always wins. You just need to believe," said Beast.

 **I suppose things got a little too intense. I hope this was still entertaining.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	13. Desperation

**Here's my latest update. I hope you like it. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

It was once again bedtime in Auradon. Despite the out-of-control battle that took place in the castle grounds, everyone just wanted to sleep peacefully and hope for a better tomorrow. For the teenagers at Auradon Prep, however, they were physically exhausted and would love nothing more than a goodnight sleep.

Perhaps the most troubled out of all of them is Mal. The daughter of Maleficent never felt so outmatched in her life since the first time she faced her mother. The Fire Ranger made her look like an angry child and she was almost welcomed to the afterlife for real this time, if it hadn't been for Ben saving her. The Ranger's taunting words replayed in Mal's head all night long, keeping her awake. Without her magic, she was powerless against someone who looked like an expert in magic.

 _"How does it feel? To be powerless. To be defenseless. Doesn't it make you wish you still had magic?"_

No matter how much she tried, she can't shut out the Fire Ranger's voice in her head. She thought that she was going to live through not having magic. Even after she theorized that the laboratory thief has magic, she was still optimistic about facing the potential threat head-on. Unfortunately, after being humiliated, Mal finds herself thinking about how this one meeting can affect the rest of the war.

The ex-sorceress gets out of bed and immediately heads for the museum, where she once again stares at her mother's scepter held by the statue of Maleficent. Mal walks up the steps towards the statue and opens a vial of potion. She pours the contents all over the scepter, removing the protection spell around it. She slowly reaches for the scepter, but hesitates for a moment.

She mentally asks herself, "Why _are you doing this?"_

She pulls back her arm, but after freezing for a second, she quickly grabs the scepter. What she didn't expect was the dark magic within the scepter's orb escaping and transferring into her. When the transfer was over, Mal collapsed to her knees. She takes a few deep breaths before looking at her own hand. She started to feel something flowing within her. She uses the scepter's orb as a mirror and saw her eyes glowing green. She started to smile.

Mal snaps her fingers and a green spark lights up on her finger. She waves her finger around before unleashing a small blast up to the ceiling, creating green fireworks. Her smile widens. Even though what happened when she grabbed the scepter puzzled her, she was happy that she had her magic back. She looks back at the scepter still in hand.

"I guess I won't be needing this."

Mal puts the scepter back in the hand of her mother's statue, then puts a protection spell around it.

"Thanks, mother."

She turns around and leaves the museum. When she got outside, she stopped. She snaps both her fingers, successfully teleporting herself back to her room. Her smile could not be any bigger due to the delight of being able to perform magic once again. Remembering that Evie is still asleep, Mal stops hyperventilating with joy and goes back to bed. However, Mal's goodnight rest is once again interrupted. This time, by a familiar voice echoing in her head.

"Mal. Mal."

"Mother?" reacted Mal quietly. "No, it's just in your head. Shut it out."

It was yet another mental battle for a goodnight sleep. Even if staying up all night has become a habit, she always tries hard to get a peaceful slumber.

* * *

The sun rises and a new day has come. For the son of Cruella de Vil, it was Day Three of his return to the world of the living. He had only four days left to live, but he can see that the war he and his friends are engaged in is far from over. Before the school day starts, the VKs and their friends from Auradon Prep sit down for another meeting at the castle.

"Ben, do I really have to be here?" asked Audrey.

"I know you're not a fighter, Audrey, but we need everyone present," said Ben.

"What about Sofia? She's not here," pointed out Audrey.

"Or Harley," added Evie.

"You guys know Sofia's busy," reminded Mal. "And as much as Harley would love to be here, she would rather continue her education."

"So, what's our new plan?" asked Jay.

"Since luring the Fire Ranger to us proved to be a bad idea, I think maybe we should locate her and her Order," suggested Doug.

"But how're we going to find them?" asked Chad. "Auradon is a big kingdom. They can be anywhere. Plus, the Fire Ranger has magic."

"I tried my mirror," said Evie. "Apparently, the Fire Ranger must've hexed it on the same night she took the remote to the Isle."

"That's where I come in," said Mal.

"But you don't have magic anymore," reminded Lonnie.

Mal waves her finger and chants, _"Beware for swear, replace Lonnie's hair with new hair."_ Her spell gives Lonnie a brand new hair style. Everyone gasped in shock.

"Mal, how?" asked a surprised Evie.

"My mother's scepter," answered Mal.

"But you don't have it with you," replied Jay.

"Wait, the scepter has a protection spell," remembered Ben. "How did you get past it?"

"A potion. I got the directions from my spellbook," answered Mal.

"I thought you were alright not having magic," said Jay.

"You've seen what the Fire Ranger is capable of. We need a game changer," said Mal. "In this case, someone who has experience with magic."

"So, you can locate her?" asked Evie.

"Mirror me," ordered Mal, holding out her hand.

Evie gives Mal her mirror. Mal creates a spark of magic on her finger and places it on the mirror. The mirror, however, reacts by giving Mal a magical shock, causing the sorceress to withdraw her finger.

"Whoever's under that mask, she's a wiz with sorcery," said Mal. "Finding her's not going to be easy."

"It never is," said Audrey.

"Guys, there's only fifteen minutes until first period," said Jane, looking at the clock.

"We'll have to continue this discussion after school," said Ben to Mal.

"Meanwhile, I have a friend to visit," said Mal.

"Who?" asked Evie.

"I'll be poofing my way there right now," said Mal.

"Actually, Mal. Can we talk in the halfway for a few minutes?" asked Ben.

"Two minutes max. I don't want you to be late for school," said Mal.

"I'm the king. They can't punish me," joked Ben, smiling.

Mal actually smiled and giggled, slightly amused.

"But your parents can," said Mal.

Mal and Ben stand up and leave the living room. The others were about to leave the castle to get to school, but Evie stayed behind because Carlos was still sitting down on the couch.

"You've been quiet," said Evie.

"Sorry. Just a lot in my mind," said Carlos.

"Are you going to tell me what?" asked Evie.

"No," said Carlos.

"But you will tell me soon, right?" asked Evie.

"Still thinking of the right time," said Carlos.

"Sofia says that friends and family are always the answer to solving your problems," said Evie. "Why don't we talk about it now?"

"You have school," replied Carlos.

"What about you? Still not coming back?" asked Evie.

"Technically, I'm still a sophomore. If you recall, I was gone before the end of school last year," said Carlos.

"Isn't there something you can do about that?" asked Evie.

"I haven't thought about it yet," said Carlos.

"But you love school," said Evie.

"I do, but this war..." Carlos paused.

"It's more than just the war," guessed Evie.

"You're correct, but that other thing is my business," said Carlos. "Why don't you go? You'll be late."

Evie gives Carlos a quick kiss on the lips before departing. Carlos just continued to sit down, smiling.

* * *

Meanwhile, the king and the daughter of Maleficent were casually walking across the halls.

"So, what do you want?" asked Mal.

"It's about your magic," said Ben. "Why?"

"I said we need a game changer," said Mal.

"That's not everything," deduced Ben.

Mal just smiled, impressed by the king's way of knowing when she's lying.

"You want the truth? I wanted my magic back," confessed Mal. "Do you know what the Fire Ranger made me feel?"

"Desperation," guessed Ben.

"That's part of it," replied Mal. "When I was on the Isle of the Lost, I never felt helpless or overwhelmed. I was always feared, not just because I was the daughter of the worst villain in existence, but also because I was ruthless and cruel on my own. I stood on top of the new generation and I loved it. But the Fire Ranger... she made me feel what I never felt before. Powerless. So, yes, I was desperate."

"It's your choice," said Ben.

"What if I choose to burn the Fire Ranger into a crisp? Are you still 'not' going to be mad at me?" joked Mal.

Ben replies with a smile, amused. "If you 'are' planning on doing that, you may want to think it through first."

"Don't worry, Ben. It's not who I am," said Mal. "I may have taken my mother's life, but that's a one-time thing. Well, the one time I did it on my own free will."

"What you did to Sofia doesn't matter anymore," said Ben, knowing she is referring to the time of the princess' demise.

"I know," said Mal. "Even if Sofia is alive, that day has left scars that will never go away. Me. Her. Carlos."

"But you can manage. I know you can," said Ben.

"Sometimes, you have too much faith in me," said Mal. "But I don't mind. The question, 'Who am I supposed to be,' is still unanswered, but you can help me answer that."

"I'm guessing you can't find the answer right now," replied Ben.

"It's not a world of fairytales anymore, Ben. It stopped being that way when me and my friends arrived," said Mal. "While magic and all that is good will always remain, fate is something you can never control. Sometimes, it controls you, even if you don't know it."

"It's strange to hear that coming from you," said Ben.

"I know. I'm sure it sounds better coming from Sofia, or someone who's older," said Mal. She takes out her phone. There was only three seconds left until the timer reaches zero. "Your two minutes are up, your highness. Time to go to school."

"Can you at least tell me who you're visiting?" asked Ben.

"Let's just say she's like a sister I never had," said Mal.

Mal kisses Ben on the cheek before disappearing.

 **Mal has her magic back. What do you think?**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	14. The Kingdom of Rosenvale

**I hope you read "I'm Just Unique". Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

Miles away from King Ben's castle is the kingdom of Sleeping Beauty and Prince Phillip, known as Rosenvale. In the village, living in a normal two-story house is a married couple with their 9-year-old daughter, Paula. Right now, it was simply an ordinary day. Paula was watching TV, her mother is cooking in the kitchen, and her father is having a cup of coffee. Everyone's attention was caught by the sound of the doorbell.

"I'll get it," said Paula.

Paula answers the door and is surprised to see her blond, blue-eyed babysitter standing by the door.

"Your highness, what are you doing here?" asked Paula.

"We talked about this, Paula. You can call me 'Bertha,'" said Bertha. "I came here to see you."

"Mom! Dad! Bertha is here," called out Paula.

Paula's parents approached their daughter and saw Bertha.

"We didn't call you," said Paula's mother.

"I know. I just need to talk to your daughter. In private," said Bertha.

"Well, come on in," said Paula's father.

"Can I get you anything? Coffee?" offered Paula's mother.

"No, thank you," said Bertha.

Bertha and Paula walk upstairs and lock themselves in Paula's room.

"Say, did you hear the news? Mal's back," said Paula. "I'm serious. Didn't you hear about the attack on Castle Beast?"

"I'm sure everyone's heard it," said Bertha.

"So, why are you here?" asked Paula.

"There's something I've been keeping from you," answered Bertha. "I thought maybe now is the right time."

"Is it big?" asked Paula.

"Very," replied Bertha.

"Well, what is it?" asked Paula.

Bertha closes her eyes and casts her spell, changing her clothes and transforming her hair purple and her eyes green. Paula's eyes and mouth opened wide in shock and awe. When the transformation is complete, Paula was looking directly at the daughter of Maleficent herself.

"It's you," uttered Paula.

Mal didn't say anything. She just smiled.

"It's been you this whole time?" asked Paula.

"Please, don't be mad," pleaded Mal. "I had my reasons."

"And you didn't trust me, why?" asked Paula.

"It's not that I didn't trust you. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to," said Mal. "You remember when we first met? I told you that I lost someone. My grief consumed me. I was in so much pain that I didn't want anyone to see me, not until I recover."

"Please be honest. Who did you lose?" asked Paula.

After a little hesitation, Mal answers, "Carlos."

"But I saw him on TV," said Paula.

"Trust me, I was even surprised than the entire kingdom to see him," said Mal.

"Why did you choose now to tell me?" asked Paula.

"Since all of Auradon knows who I am, I thought maybe it's time to come clean to the people close to me," said Mal.

"Does Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip know who you are?" asked Paula.

"They do, because I told them," answered Mal. "If I wanted them to take me in, I had to be honest with them."

"What about your school?" asked Paula.

"I was still disguising myself as Bertha," said Mal.

"Aren't you gonna get into trouble for lying?" questioned Paula.

"I'm sure my adoptive parents can help me with that," said Mal.

"I guess you don't need the wig anymore," said Paula.

"How can I forget?" Mal reaches into her purse and takes out the purple wig that Paula gave her. "You keep it. Now that I'm back, Bertha has no use for it."

Paula takes the wig and puts it on.

"Can I ask you something? Why did you choose 'Bertha'?" asked Paula.

"Don't tell your parents. It's my middle name," confessed Mal.

Paula laughed a little.

"Everyone keeps reacting like that," mentioned Mal.

"Sorry," apologized Paula.

"Don't be," said Mal. "It's a part of my name, so there's no need for me to be ashamed."

"Can I ask you another question? Who was babysitting me? Mal or Bertha?" asked Paula.

"A bit of both," answered Mal. "The look was Bertha, but the personality was all Mal."

"So, the daughter of Maleficent was really as nice as the one who babysat me," said Paula. "I'm surprised."

"Just be glad you never made me angry. If you did, then you would've seen who Maleficent's daughter is really like," said Mal. "But don't worry. I would never be mad at you. You're like the little sister I never had."

Mal puts her arms around Paula and gives her a hug. The latter hugged her back.

"Wait, if Sleeping Beauty adopted you, doesn't that mean you're Princess Audrey's sister?" wondered Paula.

Mal smiles and said, "Yeah, she is."

"How did she react?" asked Paula.

"The look on her face. Priceless," said Mal.

"Well, I hope she gets used to you. She's lucky to have you as a sister," said Paula.

"Based on our history together, it's really gonna take a lot of time for her to accept it," said Mal. "But I do hope the two of us can get closer as family."

"So, I'm guessing you're done with babysitting," said Paula.

"I'm afraid so," said Mal, slightly sad. "Mal has to be a hero again and save Auradon."

"What are we gonna tell my parents?" asked Paula.

"Leave that to me," said Mal.

* * *

After telling Paula's parents that she's done with babysitting their child, Mal heads towards the castle. The servants take her to the master bedroom, where Aurora and Phillip are currently in. The sorceress wasted no time rushing over and giving both of them a hug.

"Are you alright?" asked Aurora. "We watched the news. You almost died."

"Don't worry. I'm fine," said Mal.

"What brings you back here?" asked Phillip.

"I came here to visit my little friend down at the village," answered Mal. "I also thought that maybe it's the time you see what your adopted daughter really looks like."

"Did you tell Audrey that news?" asked Aurora.

Mal lets out a little laugh. "She'll accept it one day."

"From what I can tell, war is brewing," started Phillip. "I'll gladly send our troops to assist you."

"No, your high... father... King Ben personally assigned me and my friends take care of this matter," said Mal.

"But you're just children. Why?" asked Aurora.

"It's more than just because we're strong enough to stand to Maleficent. It's because he trusts us," said Mal.

"He is a wise young lad," said Phillip. "We all knew he was going to make a great king."

"I still don't understand. Why would Ben choose you over his own men?" wondered Aurora.

"Knowing Ben, it's because he doesn't want to lose any more of his people," said Mal. "He has already lost hundreds at the hands of my mother. He trusts me to take on this dangerous mission, not only because of trust, but because of faith, faith that I will succeed. I always do."

"Optimism always helps," said Aurora.

"Just be careful," said Phillip.

"You don't need to worry too much," said Mal. She snaps her fingers and casts a small fire on her finger. "I have my magic back."

"How?" asked Aurora.

"It doesn't matter how. What matters is now I have the means to give the Order's leader a true challenge," said Mal.

"Revenge is never the answer, Mal," said Aurora.

"I admit. It's personal, but that doesn't mean I'm not doing this for Ben," said Mal. "He trusts me to protect his people, and I will not disappoint him."

"Just be sure you make the right choice," said Aurora.

"I'm not taking any lives this time, mom. I intend to finish this without any blood on my hands," said Mal. "Find the leader, defeat her, then let the king choose her punishment. It may not be simple, but that's how it's going down."

"Confident, brave, and kind. You make me feel proud," said Aurora with a smile.

"That's something my mother never said," said Mal, hanging her head in sorrow.

Aurora puts her hands on Mal's shoulders and said, "Remember what Ben said on his coronation. Your mother made her choice. You make yours."

Mal looks at her adoptive mother and smiles.

"So, I assume you shall be on your way," guessed Phillip.

"No, me and my friends are waiting until after school to continue our mission," said Mal. "Right now, I need to go back to my old school and make a confession. I was hoping you can help."

"We're your parents now, Mal. Of course, we will," said Aurora.

 **I hope this was well-written and entertaining. The war will continue in later chapters. I promise.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	15. Are You With Us?

**I hope you haven't left yet, because the interesting stuff will be coming in later chapters. Right now, how 'bout we go back to Auradon Prep and see how the others are doing?**

 **Leave a review. Please.**

Back in the school of Auradon Prep, Audrey and Jane have just finished music class and each head back to their lockers to prepare for the next class. When she was finished, Audrey closes her locker, only to see Jay standing next to her.

"Hey, beautiful," greeted Jay.

"Hey, hero," greeted Audrey. "What brings you to my locker?"

"I, uh, don't want to make this sound bad, but you and I need to talk," said Jay.

"About what?" asked Audrey.

"Your part in this war," answered Jay.

"Why is there a need to talk about that?" asked a confused Audrey.

"Because I know you don't want to be a part of it," said Jay.

Audrey looks away from Jay for a moment. When she looked at him again, she said, "I'm a princess, Jay, not a fighter. I really don't understand why Ben even has me part of this?"

"I gotta be honest, I also wondered why Ben didn't ask his men to deal with this," said Jay. "But maybe he wants us to do this because we faced Maleficent."

"I've known Ben my whole life, and I know that's not why," said Audrey.

"If you know him so well, can you tell why he picked us instead of his soldiers?" replied Jay.

"I don't think I can," said Audrey. "Look, do we really have to discuss this in the middle of the school day?"

"We have a meeting after school, so I think now is the best time," said Jay.

"Look, Jay, I get it. You're trying to get me to see why I'm part of this war," said Audrey. "But this really isn't necessary. If Ben needs me, I have to be there for him."

"But we all want you to be fully committed to this mission," said Jay. "Look at Doug. He maybe someone who would rather study about molecules rather than fight, but he doesn't mind doing this. Don't forget Jane. She'll do anything for her friends. And, of course, you expect Lonnie to tag along, not just for the action, but because of her loyalty. But you, I know you wish you're not involved in this."

"What do you want me to do?" asked Audrey.

"Show us that you're truly by our side," answered Jay. "Show us that you're with us not because you were ordered by your king, but because you care about us."

"What makes you think I don't?" questioned Audrey, accusing Jay of judging her.

"I know you care about us," said Jay. "I just want you to answer this question. 'Are you really with us?'"

Audrey didn't respond.

"You don't have to answer now," said Jay.

Jay kisses Audrey on the cheek before leaving to head to next class. Audrey just stood there, thinking about what Jay said. She was beginning to believe that her boyfriend is correct. She admits to herself that she's only part of the mission because of Ben's orders, but not because of loyalty. Her moment was interrupted when a familiar voice snaps her out of her contemplation.

"Audrey," called out Jane. "Is something wrong?"

"Jane..." Audrey paused. "Why are you in on this mission?"

"Because friends help each other. I may not be a fighter, but I'm putting away my personal issues just to help those I care about," said Jane. "Why do you ask?"

Audrey didn't answer. She just started walking to the classroom.

* * *

When the bell rang for lunch time, everyone was at the field outside the school with their friends, eating and hanging out. To be specific, everyone, except Ben. Once the bell rang, he picked up his phone and calls Mal. After twenty seconds, Mal finally picked up the phone.

 _"This is Mal," said the sorceress on the phone._

"Hey, Mal," greeted Ben. "Where are you?"

 _"I'm studying," said Mal._

"Sorry," apologized Ben. "So, did the school forgive you for your lie?"

 _"Thanks to Audrey's parents, or as I like to call them, mom and dad, the principal is willing to pardon me, on one condition," answered Mal. "If I pass this test and make up for lost time, I can transfer back to Auradon Prep."_

"Good to know," said Ben. "When will you be back?"

 _"The test starts at 3 o'clock, so I'll probably be back after 4," replied Mal._

"Well, good luck," said Ben.

 _"Thanks," replied Mal. "See ya later. I love you."_

"I love you, too," said Ben.

Mal hangs up. Ben leaves the classroom to join his friends for lunch. He looks at the table where the VKs usually sat and saw it was empty.

Ben asks his friends, "Hey, guys, where's Evie and Jay?"

"Jay's over there," said Audrey, pointing at him hanging out with the other Tourney players.

"Evie's at the hallway smooching with Carlos," said Chad.

"Please, don't say 'smooch'. It makes me feel uncomfortable," said Jane.

"Sorry," apologized Chad.

"Any word from Mal?" asked Lonnie.

"She'll be back," said Ben. "Right now, let's just enjoy this moment."

"Ben, can I ask you something? Why us? Why not your men?" asked Audrey.

Ben hesitated to answer.

"Ben, please. I need to understand," pleaded Audrey.

"You already remembered what happened last year, don't you?" started Ben. "All those innocent people... gone. If I send my men, I..."

"You don't want more innocents to die," finished Audrey. "What about my other question? Why us?"

"Because I trust you guys. I have faith in all of you," said Ben. "I know sending teenagers into war isn't a kingly decision, but then again, putting myself in the way of this war isn't a kingly decision either. I'm sparing my people a cruel fate by joining you in this war."

"You care very deeply about your people. That's one of the things that makes you a good king," complimented Audrey.

"Audrey, I know you don't want a part in this," said Ben. "But I need you to..."

"Be there for my friends," interrupted Audrey. "I know. Jay already talked to me about this. And I promise, your highness. I'll never abandon any of you."

Ben smiled.

* * *

In the school hallways, Evie and Carlos are engaging in a game they haven't played in a long time. Private kissing sessions. A few teachers have passed by, but decided not to interfere. The two lovers were in their own little world as long as their lips are locked. Their little moment, however, was put to a stop when the bell rang.

"Time for class," said Evie.

"I missed this," said Carlos.

"Me too," said Evie. "I look forward to our next session."

"Guess I'll see you later," said Carlos.

Carlos was about to exit the school, but Evie pulls him back and gives him a brief kiss on the cheek. The two stared at each other's eyes before Evie lets go of Carlos and lets him leave. Carlos opens the door, but before he walked outside, he looks back at Evie and gives her a silent "I love you." Reading his lips, Evie said the same thing silently.

"Hey, Evie!" called out Jay. "It's time for class."

"I'll be there," replied Evie.

 **Stay tuned for the next chapter.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	16. Mind Games

**Just have a seat and enjoy. Remember, I'm trying my best.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

After the school day was finished, Ben returns to the castle to wait for Mal's return, while his friends returned to their dorms until he calls them for a meeting. He spends his time reading a book with his mother in the library. Their moment, however, was interrupted when Lumiere opens the door.

"Pardon me for speaking aloud in the library, your highness, but mistress Mal has returned," said Lumiere.

"We'll have to continue another time," said Belle, closing the book.

Ben follows Lumiere to the royal kitchen, where he sees Mal brewing something. She was making herself a cup of hot chocolate. After she was finished stirring, she lights up her finger with magic and dips it in the cup, causing the liquid to glow.

"So, how's the test?" asked Ben.

"I passed," answered Mal. "I'm officially back in Auradon Prep."

"That's great," replied Ben happily. "What are you making?"

"This spell will boost my ability to sense magical beings," answered Mal. "With this, I can find the Fire Ranger no matter where she is."

"Shall I call the others?" asked Ben.

"Not yet. When I find her, then you can call them," responded Mal.

Mal finishes dipping her magic finger into the cup. She sucks the chocolate off her finger before drinking from the cup. After she drank half of the hot chocolate, she leaves the kitchen, still holding the cup, with Ben following her. Mal heads to the second floor balcony and puts the cup down. She takes a brief moment to look at the view.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" asked Ben.

"Makes me feel like I'm on top of the world," replied Mal. "I'm gonna have to ask you to stand back a little. I need to concentrate."

"No problem," said Ben, taking a few steps back.

Mal closes her eyes, and puts one finger on her head as she tries to concentrate. She starts sensing for beings of magic all throughout Auradon. After fifteen seconds, Mal found the Fire Ranger, but the second she sensed her, she opened her eyes and gasped in shock.

"Mal, what's wrong?" asked Ben.

Mal takes a few deep breaths before looking at Ben. "I found her."

"But what happened to you?" asked Ben.

"There's... something... strange about her. I can sense it, but I can't tell what," said Mal.

"I'm sure you'll find out," said Ben. "Shall I call the others now?"

"Yes," said Mal.

"Just stay here and relax," said Ben before leaving.

Mal did as Ben said and remained on the balcony. She picks up the cup and continues drinking the rest of the hot chocolate. She was still caught up on what she felt when she sensed the Fire Ranger's magic. She knows that she has to get closer to know exactly what she felt within the masked sorceress.

* * *

The VKs and the teenagers from Auradon Prep once again assemble in the castle when Ben announced that Mal has found their masked foe. Everyone but Lonnie showed up in the castle's living room. They weren't going to start until the daughter of Mulan shows up. After five minutes of waiting, Lonnie finally arrived.

"Where have you been?" asked Chad.

"I was asking Sofia if she wanted to come," answered Lonnie. "She still said no."

"I told you not to bother her," said Mal.

"Anyway, what's the plan?" asked Lonnie, changing the subject.

Mal rolls her eyes before speaking. "Well, as Ben told you, I found the Fire Ranger. She's in an abandoned warehouse somewhere outside Sleeping Beauty's kingdom.

"That's weird," said Evie. "Why would anything in this kingdom be abandoned?"

"That's not the point," interrupted Mal. "Now that we know where she is, we need to plan this attack carefully. We're incredibly outnumbered and we're all aware that our king is not willing to risk the lives of his men."

"What are you planning?" asked Carlos.

"I don't have a plan," said Mal. "Guys, I know you all see me as a leader, but I can't do all the thinking. I need your help."

The rest started thinking. After a long silence, someone spoke up.

"Why don't we disguise ourselves as soldiers of the society and pretend we have a prisoner for their boss?" suggested Carlos.

"Carlos!" yelled Mal, Evie, and Jay.

Carlos, unexpectedly, smiled and laughed a little. "Never thought I'd missed too."

"Sometimes, I swear you're trying to infuriate us on purpose," said Mal.

"You asked for a plan from us, and that's what I got," said Carlos.

"Actually, that's doesn't sound like a bad idea," said Doug.

"What better way than to take out the enemy than from the inside?" said Chad, agreeing as well.

"All in favor?" asked Carlos.

The hero kids all raised their hands.

"You too, Ben?" questioned Mal, looking at her boyfriend.

"It's worth a shot," said Ben.

Mal looks at Carlos and, in sarcasm, said, "This better be your lucky day."

"Mal, I think we've made it clear that I'm not the easiest guy to rely on, but that doesn't mean you have to keep me in an assisting role every time," said Carlos.

"Carlos, I'm agreeing with your plan," said Mal. "It's not you I'm doubting, it's the plan. It's too risky."

"The Fire Ranger lied about fighting this war with no spilled blood," said Evie. "She tried to blow up a castle filled with innocent people."

"From what I've seen, her men fight to win, but their boss fights to win... by killing," added Jay.

"Let me finish, please," said Carlos. "We send two of us to disguise as knights, while one of us pretends to be the prisoner they captured. The rest of us will hide in the shadows, waiting for the opportunity to strike."

"There's one flaw," said Mal. "The Fire Ranger has magic. If I'm anywhere near the warehouse, she'll sense my presence. I'll jeopardize the plan."

"Which is why you're the one who's going to play as our prisoner," said Carlos.

"One question. I honestly agree to this plan, but how are we going to disguise as the Fire Ranger's knights?" asked Ben.

"We go see our friend, Snow White," answered Carlos.

* * *

The VKs and the hero kids traveled to the Auradon News Station to see Snow White. Since she and her husband filmed the incident at the castle, and the footage is what they needed. Out of kindness, Snow White lends King Ben the footage of the society's knights. The teenagers use the footage to copy the armor design of the Order. Ben orders two knights to lend their armor, and Mal uses her magic to change them and make them identical to their enemy's design.

After a brief debate, it was settled that Jay and Chad will be the ones to don the armors. They were to execute the plan at 9 P.M. Until then, Ben suggested to his friends that they need rest before it's time. Mal refused to leave the castle and stayed in the guest bedroom for the meantime. She was still troubled by what she sensed within the Fire Ranger. However, the voices of her mother began to echo in her head once again.

"Mal. Mal."

"No, go away," said Mal to herself, trying to shut the voices out.

"Mal. Mal."

Mal walks outside to the balcony to calm down, but it was futile.

"Mal. Mal."

"Enough!" yelled Mal. "If you're here, mother, show yourself."

"Behind you."

Mal turns around and gasped in shock at the sight of her mother.

"Missed me, dear?" quipped the Mistress of Evil.

"I thought you were dead," said Mal.

Maleficent just cackled. "Think again, Mal."

"But you're not really here," said Mal. She reaches out her hand to touch her mother, only for her hand to phase through. "You're just a ghost."

"Correction. I'm in your head," said Maleficent.

"What is going on here?" asked Mal. "Why do I keep hearing you in my head?"

Maleficent takes a moment to look at the night sky before speaking. "Back on that island, you thought you had destroyed me. You were wrong. You may have burned my body to ashes, but the darkness in my soul could not be destroyed. It simply needed a vessel."

"The scepter," realized Mal.

"Correct," responded Maleficent. "When you absorbed the power of the scepter, not only did you take my magic, but my dark blood as well."

"How does this explain why I'm talking to a imaginary being?" asked Mal.

"I have embraced the darkness for so long, it has become my life force," said Maleficent. "That's right, baby girl. I'm alive in you."

Mal couldn't utter a word at what she's hearing.

"If you are trying to act as my evil conscience, then forget it," said Mal. "I already made my choice."

"Keep telling that to yourself," said Maleficent disrespectfully.

"Go away, mother," insisted Mal. "I need to be mentally prepared to face our enemy, and I can't do that as long as you're talking to me."

"As you wish," said Maleficent sarcastically. "But we're not finished here. We're family, Mal, and we can never be done."

Maleficent vanishes into thin air. Mal knows that her mother's soul lives within her, but she chooses not to think about this and focus on the task at hand. However, it was hard to let this thought go. Now that she knows what her very being possesses, another strange feeling consumes her. She stood on the balcony for hours, staring at the moon in the sky, trying to understand what she is feeling.

As the hours past, the time for the attack was drawing near. Mal heard footsteps behind her, and didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

"I'm ready, Ben," she said.

"Are you sure?" replied Ben. "You're out here staring at the evening sky. Something tells me you're feeling troubled."

"Never mind that, your highness," said Mal. "We have a kingdom to save."

 **The fun stuff will begin in the next chapter. Please, be patient. Besides, it won't take too long.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	17. Plan B

**As I said, it won't take too long. Well, here it is. Ladies and gentleman, brace yourselves. If you've read the previous chapter, you know what's about to happen here. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

In the abandoned warehouse belonging to the Order of the White Fire, the Fire Ranger remains awake in her quarters, still thinking of a new plan to capture the king and make the villain kids pay for her humiliation. While she does, she continues tinkering with her sword, trying to complete the upgrade. After she was finished, she was gonna test it, but all of a sudden, she paused. She felt a magical presence nearby. She puts on her helmet and exits her office, only to see one of her knights about to knock on the door.

"Uh, mistress, we have good news," said the knight.

"Someone's here," guessed the Fire Ranger.

"Well, yes," confirmed the knight. "How did you know?"

"I felt it," said the Fire Ranger, still walking.

The Fire Ranger heads to the main room, where two knights have someone tied up on a chair with a burlap sack on their captive's head. The Fire Ranger didn't hesitate to remove the sack. She was a little surprised to see who it was. It was Mal, unconscious.

"Why is she here?" asked the Fire Ranger.

"We found her outside, probably planning to attack," said one of the knights.

"Did she bring her friends?" asked the Fire Ranger.

"The patrol team outside is still looking for them," said the other knight.

The Fire Ranger looks back at Mal. With a wave of her hand, a necklace magically appears around Mal's neck. The Fire Ranger smacks her across the face, waking her up. The first thing Mal sees when she opened her eyes is the Fire Ranger.

"Hey, bucket-head," insulted Mal. "What's shakin'?"

Angered, the Fire Ranger once again smacks Mal in the face.

"I am not in the mood to play games, witch!" yelled the Fire Ranger.

"So, you can sense it?" replied Mal.

"Indeed, I can. You have your magic back," said the Fire Ranger. "I see it didn't do you any good."

"I'm surprised your idiots found me before you could sense me," taunted Mal.

"You think that will rattle me? To be honest, it makes me proud," said the Fire Ranger. She looks back at the two knights. "You two did well."

"It was nothing," said one of the knights.

"We'll discuss your promotion after we capture her friends," said the Fire Ranger. She turns her attention back to the captured sorceress. "Where are your friends?"

Mal tries to use her magic to disappear, but she couldn't.

"You're not going to magic your way out of here," said the Fire Ranger. "Take a look at what's around your neck."

Mal did and saw the necklace. "Oh, I get it. Magic neutralizer. My mom tried this with me before, except it was cuffs."

"So, are you going to come clean, or does this get ugly?" said the Fire Ranger.

"Depends. Are you gonna take off the mask, ugly?" insulted Mal.

The Fire Ranger tensed with anger at the sorceress' insult.

"Don't be angry, tin can. Anger is not good for your health," said Mal in an insulting fashion.

The Fire Ranger, infuriated, puts her hand on Mal's throat and chokes her again. "If I recall correctly, the last time we faced, I nearly ended your life. You would know better than to push me again."

She lets go of Mal, who started coughing, trying to recover, but she started laughing again.

"What's so funny?" yelled the Fire Ranger.

"You. All this power. All this anger. You keep it all contained in a giant tin can," mocked Mal. "You make me feel sane."

The Fire Ranger, again, gives Mal a punch across the face, but the sorceress remains smiling.

"You want to play games? Fine," said the Fire Ranger. "Wait here."

As the Fire Ranger walked away, Mal blew the hair off her face and puts on a sadistic smile on her face. When the Fire Ranger enters her office, someone rushes over and closes the door. It was Carlos. He places a bomb by the door. It explodes and coats the door with thick ice, outside and inside.

One knight cuts off Mal's ropes, freeing her. Mal tears the necklace off her neck, getting her magic back. The two knights behind Mal took off their helmets, revealing themselves to be Jay and Chad. The other knights get into battle stance, but they were hit from behind by bombs, paint bombs to be precise. The bombs came from the other teenagers, minus Lonnie, coming out of hiding. The warehouse turns into a battlefield as the knights relentlessly attack the kids. What they didn't expect was the teenagers were armed with swords as well. Metal blades clash left and right as the knights continue to prove how well-trained they are. Mal uses her magic to help her friends get the advantage, whether it's a sleeping spell, telekinesis, or magic blasts.

Meanwhile, the Fire Ranger was still trapped in her quarters, thanks to Carlos' cryogenic bomb. She tried to punch the ice, but it was too thick. She decided to use her fire magic, slowly melting the ice.

Outside the Ranger's office, the fight was still going on. Mal was getting pretty bored using her magic, so she takes one knight's sword and battles the rest without magic for a little fun. Ben decides to join her.

"You seem to be enjoying this," said Ben.

"I always do," said Mal.

The two fought back-to-back. Knights came charging from different directions, but the young couple used teamwork to fend them off. Mal even used Ben's shoulders to give her a boost, enabling her to use her two feet to kick a charging knight, causing him to fall over a knight behind him.

Evie was a triple threat on the battlefield. Not only was she using her sword and her combat skills, but she was also using a new gadget Carlos made for her. It was a sprayer attached to her glove. The tube was connected to her bottle of sleeping perfume. All Evie needs to do is press the button on the palm of her hand. This way, she can only use only one hand if she needs to put someone to sleep.

"Carlos, you're a genius," complimented Evie.

Jay was pick-pocketing sword after sword, disarming knight after knight before delivering a crucial blow to their helmets. One female knight caught him by surprise, but Jay fights back until the two were evenly-matched. One knight tried to sneak up behind Jay, but he saw him coming and swipes his sword. He gives the knight a kick to the chest and he uses the two swords in his possession to disarm the woman.

"You got moves. I'll give you that," said the knight.

"Don't forget it," replied Jay.

The knights weren't taking Audrey very seriously. One was just gently poking at her sword with his, daring her to bring it.

"What's the matter, princess? Scared?" taunted the knight.

"Actually, I'm just waiting," said Audrey.

"For what?" asked the knight.

Audrey uses her sword to cut a rope near her, which causes the net above the knight to drop a crate on his head, rendering him unconscious.

"Sorry," apologized Audrey.

Jane had her sword taken from her, so she used the remaining paint bombs that Carlos gave, until she ran out. She was cornered by three knights, until someone grabbed two knights by the head and banged them together, knocking them both out. The third knight turned around, only to receive a kick to the face. It was Lonnie.

"Thanks, Lonnie," said Jane.

"You're welcome," replied Lonnie. "Hey, Mal, the entire patrol team is painted."

"Good job," said Mal.

"Painted?" asked a confused Doug.

"I gave her some of my paint bombs to disable the guards outside," explained Carlos. "Oh, and, Doug, there's someone behind you."

Doug reacts fast and throws a paint bomb at the knight sneaking up behind him.

"Thanks," said Doug. "Hey, where's Chad?"

Two knights were charging towards Doug, but were hit by two Tourney balls coming from above. It was Chad, using the high platforms to his advantage.

"Got you covered, Doug," said Chad.

Carlos was surrounded by half a dozen knights, but he reaches into his jacket and detonates three smoke pellets, clouding the area with white smoke. He throws his paint bombs at two knights. He uses video game attack combos on three more knights. For the last one, he takes out a shock bomb and throws it at him, shocking him to unconsciousness. The smoke clears and everyone can see how Carlos did.

"Nice one, Carlos," said Mal. She sees some knights beginning to wake up. "But the fight's not over yet."

"I agree," said a familiar voice.

Mal turns around and saw the Fire Ranger, with an incinerated door behind her.

"Clever, witch, but not clever enough," said the Fire Ranger.

"Let's settle this once and for all, miss park ranger," declared Mal.

"Agreed," replied the Fire Ranger.

The Fire Ranger uses her magic to teleport herself and Mal outside.

"We just lost our magical expert," pointed out Audrey.

"Don't worry, Audrey," said Jay. "We can handle these guys."

And so, the battle continues inside the warehouse.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the warehouse...

"Let me guess. Just the two of us without helpers?" asked Mal.

"This is between you and me," said the Fire Ranger, anger still present in her tone.

"If you want a fair fight, why don't you take off that helmet?" suggested Mal.

"No more games!" yelled the Fire Ranger.

The Fire Ranger draws her sword and charges at Mal. The two engage in a sword fight where it seems that nobody is winning. They strike left and right, but all they can hit is something metal. They strike as fast as they can, but both of them have incredible reflexes.

"I must admit, I'm impressed," said the Fire Ranger.

"Same here," replied Mal.

"Determination. Reflexes. Skilled with the sword. You make my men look like amateurs," said the Fire Ranger. "Guess I have to train them harder."

"You won't get the chance," replied Mal.

The blades continue to clash, but one would say that this battle could go on forever. The two get caught in a sword lock, both trying to push as hard as they can. However, neither won the lock. The force from both their strength pushes both of them back. They get back in the fight and continue clashing blades. They get into another lock, but Mal decides to play dirty by tripping the Fire Ranger with a kick.

"So much for turning over a new leaf," remarked the Fire Ranger, referring to Mal's dirty ways of fighting.

"A part of me will always be wicked," said Mal.

Mal and the Fire Ranger continue striking each other with their swords, but after a few more minutes, both were still evenly-matched.

"We could be here a while," said Mal.

"Then maybe it's time I show you a new trick up my sleeve," said the Fire Ranger.

The Fire Ranger pushes a button on the handle, and the sword suddenly starts emitting electricity.

"Shocking," quipped Mal.

"Why did the king ever fall in love with a psycho?" retorted the Fire Ranger.

"'Cause I'm beautiful," replied Mal, acting like a little girl.

The Fire Ranger charges and tries to strike Mal again. Mal keeps on dodging as the Ranger relentlessly attacks her. Mal tried to block her attacks with her sword, but the electricity from Ranger's sword fries the metal of her sword. Mal drops her melted sword and continues dodging the Ranger's attacks.

"You call yourself 'The Fire Ranger,' right? Why make a sword that makes electricity? Why not a sword that makes fire?" prattled Mal.

The Fire Ranger didn't respond, she just continues trying to get a clear strike on the purple-haired sorceress. Mal jumps and flips as she continues dodging. Suddenly, she charges towards the Fire Ranger and starts fighting her hand-to-hand. Once again, the material that the Ranger's armor is made of keeps from getting hurt. Mal's strikes only stagger her a little. The Fire Ranger finally strikes Mal with her sword, shocking her and giving her a cut on her shoulder.

"Okay, that hurt," reacted Mal with slight anger. She uses her magic to cure her wound.

Mal flips her way towards the Fire Ranger and gives her a roundhouse kick, causing the ranger to drop the sword.

"No more swords, lady. Let's settle this with a little bit of magic," declared Mal.

The two sorceresses get into their battle stances, preparing for their magical bout.

"You first," dared Mal.

"If you wish," replied the Fire Ranger.

She fires a magic blast, but Mal nonchalantly steps aside, dodging it.

"Weak," insulted Mal.

"You haven't seen everything," said the Fire Ranger. "Your move."

Mal snaps her fingers and traps both of them in a ring of fire.

"You think this will give you an advantage?" questioned the Fire Ranger. "Do you ever wonder why I call myself 'The Fire Ranger'?"

The Fire Ranger uses her magic to command the fire from the ring and creates a tornado out of it.

"Fire twister? Cool," reacted Mal.

The Fire Ranger sends the tornado towards Mal and captures her in it. After a few seconds, she dissipates the fire, only to see that Mal survived. She encased herself in a bubble. She waves at the Fire Ranger in a mocking fashion before poking the bubble, popping it.

"I have to admit. You scared me for a minute," said Mal. "Maybe you can teach me that."

"Shut your trap before I shut it for you," threatened the Fire Ranger.

The Fire Ranger lights up both her hands and sends a beam of magical energy towards Mal. Mal teleports herself out of the way and reappears behind the Fire Ranger. She grabs her and ignites her arms with fire, increasing the temperature inside the helmet. The Fire Ranger breaks free of Mal's grasp and gives her an elbow to the face. Mal shakes off the pain and gives the Fire Ranger a flying kick towards the helmet, knocking her back a few feet away. The Fire Ranger makes a magical rope and ties up Mal with it, but Mal escapes by setting herself on fire, melting the ropes.

"So, what were you? A farm girl?" joked Mal. "You seem pretty hand with that rope."

"You ain't seen nothin' yet," said the Fire Ranger.

She creates another magical rope and sets it on fire. She twirls it in the air and throws it at Mal. Mal dodges it, but all of a sudden, the rope sneaks up behind her and ties her up. The Fire Ranger pulls Mal closer for some up-close personal time.

"So, what are you gonna do now? Boil me to death with a flaming rope?" questioned Mal, still acting funny.

Aggravated, the Fire Ranger tightens the rope's grip, hurting Mal even more.

"I must admit. You're more skilled with magic than I thought," said the Fire Ranger.

"Underestimating me is a big mistake," said Mal.

"I've been practicing magic for twenty years," said the Fire Ranger. "What about you? You've only had it for a couple of years."

"You'd be surprised," said Mal.

Mal unleashes her stare on the Fire Ranger, causing her to feel weakened and collapse to the ground, which frees Mal from her magical rope. Mal raises her fist, ignites it, and punches the Fire Ranger's helmet, shattering it to pieces. What Mal saw underneath the helmet made her gasp in shock. She can see a familiar-looking young woman with black hair.

"Evelyn?"

* * *

Back inside the warehouse, the VKs and the hero kids continue to fight the Ranger's army, but they continue to give the teenagers a hard time. To make matters worse, Carlos has run out of paint bombs and Evie has emptied her perfume. Regardless, they continue to assist their friends in battle.

"I think play time's over," said a knight.

"This battle's far from over," said Jay.

"I beg to differ," said the knight. He looks at a nearby female knight. "Milady, if you would do the honors..."

"My pleasure," replied the other knight. She takes out a remote and pushes the button.

She activates the warehouse's sonic wave emitters. The teenagers are overwhelmed by the loud noises. They tried to cover their ears, but it was no use. The amplified high-pitched noise caused them to pass out. The knights, however, were not affected because of their helmets.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the warehouse, Mal is still stunned after discovering the true identity of the Fire Ranger.

"You know her?" asked a familiar voice.

Mal turns her head and saw her mother.

"I do," she said softly.

"Oh, why does it matter? Why don't you just end this here and now?" suggested Maleficent. "Why should you let her live? She tried to kill you and your boyfriend's servants. Why even hesitate? You killed that princess once. You killed me. Just burn her to the ground already."

"No," said Mal softly. "Not again."

"You do realize that if you let her live, she'll keep trying to take over," said Maleficent.

"I told you to leave me alone," said Mal.

"I'm in your noggin, Mal. You can't get rid of me," said Maleficent.

The conversation was cut short when Mal saw the Evelyn was beginning to wake up. She saw her helmet in pieces.

"Well, are you satisfied... Bertha?" questioned Evelyn, putting emphasis on "Bertha."

"You knew?" asked Mal in shock.

"You look like her. You sound like her. You act like her," said Evelyn. "I didn't know when I first saw you, but when 'Mal' started talking like 'Bertha', the pieces were coming together. Seeing how you fight was the final piece of the puzzle."

"Evelyn, stop," pleaded Mal.

"Now that you know who I am, you think you can just stop me by talking to me?" retorted Evelyn.

"I know we only met once, but I wanted us to be friends," said Mal.

"I don't care if you're Mal or Bertha!" yelled Evelyn. "Your boyfriend has to pay for his mistakes, and I will make sure he does."

Evelyn unleashes a magic blast and knocks Mal off her feet.

"What's the matter? Can't hurt a friend?" mocked Evelyn.

"I don't want to fight you," said Mal.

"Well, I do want to fight," said Evelyn, emphasizing "do."

Mal was gonna stand up, but Evelyn unleashes a stronger magic blast, knocking Mal out cold.

 **There you have it. The secret identity of the Fire Ranger has been revealed. Please wait for the next chapter.**

 **Leave a review (and a reaction). Please.**


	18. The Story of a Lost Soul

**Make sure you've read the previous chapter. Anyways, enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please.**

A few hours has past since the battle between the teenagers of Auradon Prep and the Order of the White Fire. The VKs and hero kids were close to victory, but they did not take account of the warehouse's security system, which included sonic wave emitters. Mal had the Fire Ranger incapacitated and vulnerable, but when she finally saw the face behind the mask, she didn't have the will to fight, leading to her defeat.

The teenagers are now tied up in the main room. Hours have past and they were finally beginning to wake up.

"Wakey, wakey, sleeping beauties," started Evelyn.

Mal flinched at the sound of Evelyn's voice and opened her eyes quickly. She tried to poof out of her ropes, but saw a necklace around her neck again.

"Oh, man, what happened?" asked Chad, still shaken up from the sonic waves.

"Built-in defenses," answered Carlos, waking up.

"I guess we can chalk up your plan as failure," said Mal, glaring at the tech prodigy.

"Hey, you wanted us to plan for you, and I gave you my best," replied Carlos.

"Mal, please, don't lash out on Carlos for his failure," pleaded Ben. "Success isn't an easy thing to accomplish."

"If you kids are finished talking, maybe we can get to business," interrupted Evelyn.

"Who are you?" asked Evie.

"The name is Evelyn," introduced the young woman. "Although, you only know me as 'The Fire Ranger'."

"You're the big bad boss? Didn't expect you to be our age," said Jay.

"Actually, I'm legally a young adult, but I guess I still look like a teen," said Evelyn.

Jay looks at the knight behind him. "You follow someone younger than you?"

"Actually, she never told us who she is," said the knight.

"So, you guys just take orders from someone who won't tell who she really is?" questioned Mal.

"I didn't force them. I just invited them," said Evelyn.

"She promised us peace," said a knight. "Who she really is doesn't affect our loyalty to her."

"Mal, tell me you were talking about a different Evelyn," said Evie.

"I hate to tell you, E, but that is the Evelyn I met," said Mal.

"Who is she?" asked Ben.

"Allow me to answer that question, in the form a story" interrupted Evelyn. She takes out a remote and turns on the giant screen monitors, showing a picture of herself with a man, a woman, and a little boy. "Once upon a time, in a little farm, there lived a happily married couple, Jon and Maria. They were expecting a child. Unfortunately, fortune was frowning upon them. One day, they found an abandoned baby girl in their garden. They were unable to find her parents, so they decide to adopt her. They named her 'Evelyn'. That little baby grew up into a happy child with a special gift. The gift of magic. Evelyn didn't care if she never found her family, because she already has one. She loved them, and they loved her. For eighteen years, she was as happy as any child in Auradon. But then, her father became ill. Evelyn tried to use her magic to cure him, but it was no use. Fearing that Evelyn will grow up lonely, Maria heads to the orphanage and adopts a little boy named Edward, but they like to call him 'Eddy'."

Evelyn's story was interrupted when she heard a sniff. It was Jane. She was crying tears of joy.

"Sorry," apologized Jane. "This story sounds beautiful."

"May I continue?" asked Evelyn.

Jane nodded.

Evelyn continues. "Since Jon cannot work anymore, Evelyn decided to carry the burden of providing for the family. After graduating from high school, she became a park ranger. Even if her father's life was drawing to a close, he was still proud of his little girl for keeping the family happy. However, something tragic happened."

"What?" asked Mal.

Evelyn takes out her remote and shows a news footage from last year. It was the time when beams of light rained down from the sky and destroyed anything they touched. Ben looks away. He remembers all the innocent lives that were lost from the catastrophe.

Evelyn continues. "One day, Evelyn was just walking home from work when she saw light from the sky descend upon her home. When it passed, there was nothing. Her house. Her parents. Her baby brother. All gone."

"I'm sorry," apologized Mal.

"You should be," said Evelyn with disdain. "Because I was not the only one who suffered. Over a hundred innocent people died that day."

"Then why did you have to respond by trying to overthrow me?" asked Ben.

"Before I answer that question..." Evelyn looks at her knights. "Take your helmets off."

The knight did as they were told.

"You see these people, your majesty? We all have one thing in common. We all suffered from the loss of our loved ones," said Evelyn.

"But Maleficent is the reason for what happened," said Evie.

"You can't blame us for that," said Jay.

"I don't blame you," said Evelyn. "The blame should be on your precious king."

"How could I be responsible?" asked Ben.

"Let's review, shall we?" started Evelyn. "You invited these four villainous descendants to Auradon. Have you even noticed what's happened since?"

Ben didn't respond.

Evelyn takes out the remote again and shows Ben the footage of his coronation, where Maleficent crashes the celebration and casts a freezing spell on everyone in the cathedral. Next, she shows him the footage from a traffic camera of a sleeping spell causing everyone to fall asleep. Next, she shows him the footage of the day that Queen of Hearts' knights attacked a village. Next, she shows him the footage of the castle ballroom on fire. Next, she shows him footage of Princess Sofia's funeral. Next, she shows him the footage of the time that Maleficent unleashes an undead army on a village.

"Uh, you do know that Sofia is alive, right?" interrupted Carlos.

"Carlos!" yelled Mal, Evie, and Jay.

"That's not the point," said Evelyn. "Maybe Maleficent is to blame for the innocent lives lost, but she never would've been here if you four hooligans were never, and you would never be here if King Ben didn't make that foolish proclamation."

"All I wanted to do is help the new generation of villains find a better life," said Ben in his defense.

"Maybe you've helped some of them, your majesty, but that still doesn't excuse the fact that the tragedy me and my soldiers faced was your fault," said Evelyn.

After listening to Evelyn's words, Ben's mind rewinds to the day he heard those words before, Family Day, two years ago.

 _His father said, "I feared something like this would happen."_

 _Ben responded with, "This isn't their fault."_

 _Beast said, "No, son, it's yours."_

Ben returns his attention to the present. "I understand."

All the teenagers looked at Ben, surprised of his response.

"If you think about it logically, you're right," said Ben. "But my choice was only to help the new villains. Everything that's happened since my coronation was because of someone else's choice."

"Our wise king always says, 'Everyone has a choice,'" added Mal. "I tried to convince my mother to change, but she chose to continue her quest for power, and that led to the loss of your family. Don't blame Ben."

"This isn't about pinning the blame, Mal," retorted Evelyn. "This is about establishing peace. I want to return Auradon to its glory days, when we were free of worry and fear."

"And you're going to accomplish that by getting rid of me and my friends?" guessed Mal.

"That's just a part of it," said Evelyn. "Soon, I'll introduce myself to all of Auradon, and I'll make them realize that they need a change in management. They'll want you villain kids out of Auradon for good, and King Ben is going to know what it's like to be looked down as a ruler."

"You think they'll listen to you after that little attack on the castle yesterday?" pointed out Mal.

"You see these people around you? They believe in what I believe," said Evelyn.

"What are your orders, ma'am?" asked a knight.

"Keep them here until sunrise," said Evelyn. "We return to the castle at the crack of dawn."

"Actually, ma'am, there's a problem with that," said the knight.

"What would that be?" asked Evelyn.

The knight takes out a detonator and pushes the button. Smoke bombs started blowing up all over the place, covering almost the entire warehouse in a smokescreen. The knight rushes over to the teenagers and cuts Mal free. Mal removes the necklace again and frees her friends with a simple wave of a hand.

She looks at the knight. "Why did you help us?"

The knight touches her amulet and her face changes into one the kids were familiar with.

"Sofia?" exclaimed all the teenagers.

"Glamor spell," explained Sofia.

"I thought you didn't want to be part of this," said Lonnie.

"When you guys didn't return before midnight, I was worried," said Sofia.

"Wait, are you saying it's after midnight right now?" asked Carlos.

"Yes," answered Sofia.

Suddenly, the smoke cleared, because of Evelyn's magic.

"Don't let them get away!" yelled Evelyn.

Before another battle begins, Mal snaps both her fingers and makes herself and her friends disappear.

"What do we do now, mistress?" asked a knight.

"You folks get a goodnight rest. I need to sit down and relax," said Evelyn nonchalantly.

Evelyn returns to her quarters and uses her magic to repair her broken door. Just when things seem calm, the knights heard yelling and a bunch of noises in Evelyn's office. All the knights step away from the door, not wanting to bother their leader, who is clearly angered for what recently happened.

 **That's it for now. Now you've learned of Evelyn's origins. I have quite a busy week ahead of me, but if I'm lucky, I'll be posting the next chapter in 2-3 days. Until then, please be patient.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	19. After Midnight

**As promised, here is the new chapter. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

After Mal returned herself and her friends to the castle, they all thanked Sofia for her rescue and part ways to put themselves to sleep. Mal, however, was still troubled and chose to remain in the royal living room until the sun rises. She stands in front of a window and stares at the dark sky for a long time, trying to collect her thoughts.

"I told you so."

"Not now, mother," said Mal, knowing who the voice belongs to.

"If you had gotten rid of her, you could've ended this war today," said Maleficent.

"You don't care if I win the war. You just want me to be like you," said Mal.

"Maybe," replied Maleficent, acting innocent. "But don't you see my point?"

"I can't do it to someone I considered a friend," said Mal.

"You said you only met her once," said Maleficent.

"I did, but it doesn't matter. When we met, we bonded. She reminded me of me," said Mal.

"I can't disagree. She's stubborn and aggressive like you, just worse," replied Maleficent.

"I knew from the start she was suffering a loss, but I just can't believe she let her grief turn to hatred for Ben," said Mal.

"If your boyfriend was smart, he wouldn't have invited you four here in the first place," said Maleficent. "She does have a point."

"You were the one responsible for those people," retorted Mal.

"But I wouldn't have been there if it hadn't been for your little blue friend," said Maleficent.

"That's the past," said Mal. "She did what she did for love."

"Still, there's no denying that your king truly is the one responsible," said Maleficent.

"Why won't you leave me alone?" asked an angered Mal.

"You can keep trying to lock me in your head, Mal, but it won't work," said Maleficent. "You have my life force within you. I'm always by your side."

"You can keep talking as much as you want, mother, but I'll never listen," said Mal.

"Then we'll talk later," said Maleficent before vanishing.

A knock on the door startles Mal.

"Come in," she said.

It was Ben.

"How long have you been there?" asked Mal.

"Why do you ask?" asked Ben. "Were you thinking out loud again? Then I can be honest. I didn't hear you."

"Good to know," said Mal. "Why are you here?"

"I just want to make sure you're alright after what happened," said Ben. "Something tells me you and Evelyn have a history."

"I met her once when I was in hiding," said Mal. "She was an okay girl, but now... I just can't believe it."

"Have you found out what you felt in her?" asked Ben.

"No, not yet," said Mal.

"Well, you should stop thinking about this and rest," said Ben, putting both his hands on Mal's shoulder. "We've had a long night. It's time to relax."

"I'll sleep when I feel like it," said Mal.

"This staying-up-all-night habitat isn't healthy, Mal," said Ben.

"I know, but trying to ignore my problems with my eyes open is a lot easier, trust me," said Mal.

"Look, Mal, why don't we take a break tomorrow?" suggested Ben. "After school, let's return to the Enchanted Lake."

"You want me to take a break from protecting your people?" questioned Mal, looking at Ben with uncertainty.

"If Evelyn attacks tomorrow, then you can get back in the game, but unless she does, I ask you to take a day-off," said Ben.

Mal turns around and looks at Ben in the eye.

"Perhaps I do need some fresh air," said Mal, agreeing.

"Well, goodnight," said Ben.

Before Ben can walk away, Mal puts her lips on his cheek for a quick second.

"Goodnight kiss," said Mal.

"Are we gonna be doing that every night?" asked Ben.

"Remember, I decide when we do it," said Mal, emphasizing "I".

* * *

Meanwhile, in the hallway just outside Mal and Evie's room, the daughter of Evil Queen is having yet another kissing session with the man she loves, the son of Cruella de Vil. To keep Jay from suspecting anything, Carlos told him that he was going to help Jane with something school-related.

"As much as I love these moments, do you have to drag me here in the middle of the night?" asked Carlos.

"We almost met our end today," said Evie. "I want to spend as much time with you as possible."

"I know you're worried, but even you need sleep," said Carlos.

"I gave you this new jacket for a reason," reminded Evie.

"I can't promise that I'll survive this war, but I can promise you that I'll always be there for you," said Carlos.

"I'm not ready to let go, not yet," said Evie.

Evie reunites her lips with Carlos', keeping the tech prodigy in her arms for another few minutes. Carlos desperately wants to turn in for the night, but the feeling of his own lips against Evie's made it hard for him to let go of her. Half a dozen minutes passed and the two loves finally parted. Carlos started to yawn.

"I'd love to do this 'til sunrise, Evie, but I really need to get some sleep," said Carlos.

"Can we schedule our next session tomorrow?" asked Evie.

"How 'bout outside the school before class starts?" suggested Carlos.

"I'll be sure to apply my apple-flavored lipstick," replied Evie.

Evie kisses Carlos on the cheek before entering her dorm. Carlos smile turns into a frown as soon as Evie was out of sight. Midnight has past, which means that it was already Day Four of his seven-day stay in the land of the living. This thought remains in his head as he begins to walk back to his room.

* * *

Back in the warehouse, Evelyn was sitting on the roof, staring at the moon. She was still furious of her men's failure to capture the king. She takes a look at the piece of shard in her hand that is one of the remains of her shattered helmet, thanks to Mal. Now that Mal knows who she is, the sorceress refuses to fight her. Evelyn thinks this could serve as an advantage for the Order of the White Fire, but there was a part of her that feels something strange. She thought it was probably the little respect she still had for the levelheaded and playfully aggressive woman known as Bertha, but she shakes it off because Bertha was never real.

Evelyn's mind returns to the focus of overthrowing the young king and showing Auradon that they need a new ruler on the throne. Her electric sword maybe complete and functional, but she knows it's going to take more than a customized weapon to succeed in her plans for domination.

"You think you can just extinguish the fire, Mal? You think it's as simple as blowing off a birthday candle? You're wrong? Besides, you are mistaken. The fire you're trying to turn off isn't the Order, it's me. This fire intends to burn down a structure of misguided beliefs, in order to build a new structure that will strengthen the kingdom and ensure that peace is everlasting. And you're not going to stop me."

Evelyn jumps down the warehouse and lands safely on the ground. She walks back to the spot where the rest of her helmet's remains lie. She tosses the shard in her hand along with the rest. She raises both her hands and magically lifts the pieces of her helmet off the ground. She reassembles the pieces and successfully reconstructs her helmet. She holds it with both her hands and puts it on.

"You better build some guts, Mal. The only way you're taking down the Order is having the will to fight the woman under this helmet."

 **I hope this chapter was well-written and entertaining. I wrote this because I thought we can take a brief break from the action.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	20. Freedom

**Remember my OCs from "Mischief In My Blood"? I hope you do.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

Morning has arrived once again, but certain teenagers started the morning in panic. Due to the fact that they slept after midnight because of their antics in the previous night, they overslept and were about to be late for school. Every single one rushed to wash up, get dressed, and be at the school before the first bell. In the castle, Ben was about to depart for Auradon Prep, but remembered that Mal was staying at the living room. He walks there and sees her still asleep on the couch.

"Mal. Mal," he said, shaking her.

Mal moaned, but she didn't wake up.

Ben noticed that the curtains were closed. He opens them, letting the sunlight in. Mal was bothered and covers her face with a pillow.

"Time to wake up, Mal," said Ben. "School starts in ten minutes."

Mal removes the pillow from her face and shows a slightly aggravated, clearly exhausted look on her face.

"I know you're tired, but we have to go," said Ben. "When did you sleep?"

"Twenty minutes ago," answered Mal.

"You've been awake that long?" questioned a confused, surprised Ben.

"I don't even have to explain myself," said Mal.

"If you want, I can pardon you for being late if you need time to prepare," suggested Ben.

"No need to, your majesty," said Mal.

Mal reluctantly gets up and magically poofs her backpack onto her back.

"Shall we?" uttered Mal, holding out her hand.

Ben takes Mal's hand, then she magically transports both of them out of the castle.

* * *

At Auradon Prep, the teenagers who are fighting the war are now running to their classroom, trying to make sure they arrive on time. Mal and Ben, however, were taking it slow. Before they can enter the school, they saw two individuals behind the bushes.

"You go ahead," said Mal to Ben.

Ben walks into the school, while Mal approaches the two shadows behind the green plants.

"Hey, E!" called out Mal.

Carlos and Evie ceased their kissing session at the sound of Mal's voice.

"Class starts in a few minutes," said Mal. "Kiss your boyfriend goodbye and come on."

Evie looks back at Carlos. "Too bad we overslept. We could've been at this longer."

"I'll be waiting," said Carlos.

"What flavor do you want me to wear later?" asked Evie.

"What do you have?" asked Carlos

"Cherry, blueberry, and pina colada," answered Evie.

"Any one will do," said Carlos.

"E!" called out Mal again.

"Coming," said Evie.

The blue-haired narcissist and the white-haired tech prodigy shared a five-second kiss. Mal just stood smiling at the sight of her friends' romantic moment. Evie leaves Carlos and joins Mal inside.

"Can there be a better example of a perfect couple than you two?" said Mal.

"Cinderella and Prince Charming. Snow White and Prince David. Princess Anna and Kristoff..." answered Evie.

"That was a rhetorical question," interrupted Mal.

"Wait, there's one more," said Evie. "You and Ben."

"Please, stop," pleaded Mal, annoyed.

Evie just giggled, amused with herself.

* * *

After first period, Audrey was heading to her locker when she saw Mal sitting down on the wall next to a bunch of lockers, one being hers, as identified by the "Long Live Evil" graffiti. Audrey knew leaving Mal to sulk would be mean, so she kneels down next to the sorceress and speaks to her.

"You okay?" started Audrey.

"Obviously not," said Mal, not looking at Audrey, still staring at the sky.

"Look, Mal, I know that I'm not entirely happy with us being sisters, but..." Audrey paused, trying to find the right words to say. "But... maybe we can start being like sisters, here and now. You can start by opening yourself to me."

Mal looks at Audrey.

"What's on your mind?" asked Audrey.

"Evelyn," answered Mal.

"Ben told us," said Audrey. "You two met when you disappeared. From the looks of you, you're really bothered about the fact that she's your enemy."

"I prefer to be sparring with her, not fighting her to the death," added Mal. "To make it worse, I helped her become as deadly as me."

"What did you do?" asked Audrey.

"I told her, 'Instinct'," said Mal. "That one simple word helped her train herself, and now look at her. Add a lifetime experience with magic and a suit of armor, then you have someone more dangerous than my mother."

"You believe that?" asked Audrey. "Maleficent was the worst."

"She was, until twenty years on the Isle brought her down," said Mal. "Evelyn... she has a heart made of flaming steel, a will made of iron, and rage that is matched by no one, but me. This could be my biggest challenge."

"I'm hurt, Mal," said Maleficent.

Mal flinched, but she didn't turn around to look at her hallucination, remembering that her mother isn't really there.

"You just flinched," noticed Audrey.

"Just a little on edge," lied Mal.

"I don't know how to help you, but the best I can say is... don't lose hope," said Audrey. "Maybe you can talk Evelyn into coming to the light. If you two were such good friends before, then maybe you can be again."

"That was before the Fire Range existed, Audrey, and also, that was when she thought I was Bertha," said Mal. "I've fallen into the darkness before, and you saw how I was. I would not listen to reason or step into the light. I even tried to kill my own friends."

"That's the past, Mal," said Audrey.

"True," replied Mal. "But my point is... Evelyn succumbs to the dark side without black magic in her blood. She steps into the game that the villains play and she did it on her own free will. Someone like that shouldn't be taken lightly. I just wish I could."

"We'll stop her," said Audrey.

Mal didn't respond.

Audrey sighs. "Well, I better go." She stands up, but before she walks away, she tells Mal, "Just remember, Mal. The two of us. We're family now. We have to be there for each other."

As Audrey walks away, Mal remains sitting on the floor, but her lips actually curve into a smile.

"How can that Evelyn be worse than me?" questioned Maleficent.

Mal, again, didn't look at her mother. She just gets up, opens her locker, and ignores her hallucination, focusing on getting ready for the next class.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Auradon's Rehabilitation Center, still imprisoned is the daughter of Captain Hook, the daughter of Ursula, the son of Dr. Facilier, and the son of Gothel. They are currently having cooking class, but once again, the class had to be cut short due to a messy situation. They were making pancakes, but Garth's caught on fire and the villain kids' attempts to put it out resulted in spilled ingredients.

The teacher, Ms. Rosemary, sighs, disappointed. "I am really starting to lose hope in you children."

"Hey, don't blame us. Blame Garth," responded Fernando.

"Hey!" yelled Garth.

Garth and Fernando ended up in a fist fight, which Katherine and Uri tried to break up. They were interrupted by the alarm, courtesy of Warden Corey, causing them to cover their ears.

"How many times must I say it? No fighting," he said through the intercom.

"Two hundred and seventy-four times," answered Uri.

"Ms. Rosemary, you can go and clean up," said Corey. "The rest of you, clean up this mess. It'll..."

"Yeah, yeah, we know," interrupted Katie. "It'll teach us to clean up our own messes. That's like the thirty-sixth time you said that."

"I think I'll stop saying it if you kids actually take this rehabilitation program seriously," said Corey.

"Whatever," sassed Katie.

Ms. Rosemary left the room as the four villain kids started cleaning up. The first time they had to clean up their mess in cooking class, they argued over who should do what. After a ten-minute scuffle that involved harsh words and fists, they decided that Katie will be the one to mop the floor, Uri will clean the tables, Fernando will sweep the floor, and Garth will wash the utensils.

"This is embarrassing," said Uri.

"I can't believe Harley loved all this," added Garth.

"Guys, stop bellyaching," said Katie. "Just focus on cleaning up."

"How long are we gonna be here?" complained Fernando.

"Up until we become soft like Harley," reminded Uri. "Why on earth do we have to be good?"

"We have to get out of here," said Fernando.

"We've tried escaping a dozen times, guys, and we keep getting caught," reminded Katie. "Let's just face it. We're not getting out of here."

Suddenly, they felt the ground shake, causing them to lose balance.

"Earthquake?" guessed Uri.

Once again, something unexpected happened. The wall explodes, leaving a big hole, giving the villain kids the opportunity to escape.

"Should we take it?" asked Garth.

"Corey might be watching," said Katie.

They looked at the camera on the ceiling, and it suddenly shorts out on its own. The four teenagers ran to the warden's office and saw Corey out cold. His security system controls were sabotaged, which explains the shorting out of the kitchen's camera. The villain kids immediately grab their stuff and exit through the big hole in the kitchen.

"Freedom, at last," said Uri.

"So, what do we do next, Katie?" asked Fernando.

"It's time for a little payback on our good friend, Mal," declared Katie.

As the four villain kids run off to hatch their revenge plan, they did not notice an entity standing in the distance, watching them. The individual is none other than Evelyn, currently in her Fire Ranger armor. If it weren't for the helmet, the sadistic smirk on her face can be seen. If anyone was nearby, they can hear the orphan let out a chuckle that sounds like she has done something mischievous.

 **Uh-oh. Double trouble. If you want to know what happens next, you may have to wait.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	21. A Familiar Place

**If there are any Bal fans reading this, maybe you'll like this chapter.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

After the end of the school day, Mal immediately heads to the castle and stands outside to wait for Ben. While she waits, she decided to do further checking on her magic. She opens her hand and ignites a little fire. She closes her eyes and changes the color of the fire to purple. She raises her other hand and manipulates the fire, trying to create something. She concentrates, then forms a little tornado made of fire on the palm of her hand.

"That looks beautiful," said Ben, startling Mal.

Mal extinguishes the fire and looks at Ben.

"You should've seen my fight with Evelyn," said Mal. "She made something like it, just bigger. A lot bigger."

"Well, she does have 'fire' in her name," mentioned Ben. "So, you ready?"

"I've been here for five minutes," replied Mal.

* * *

The young couple hop on Ben's motorcycle and travel once again to the Enchanted Lake, where they had their first date.

"No matter how many times I've been here, every time I walk here, it always feels like the first time," said Mal.

"At least this time, I'm not under some love spell," joked Ben.

"If you're gonna keep bringing that up, I may want to do it again," said Mal, joking as well.

"I won't mind if you do. Maybe I'll even sing another song," continued Ben.

Mal lets out a brief chuckle, amused by both their jokes.

" _Did I mention that I love you_?" sang Ben.

" _I believe you have_ ," sang Mal.

The two laughed together, amused at each other's singing.

Later, they set up another picnic under the pavilion. Mal was once again chowing on strawberries like there's no tomorrow.

"You're really going to be really healthy if this obsession lives forever," joked Ben.

"Pardon me if these are just so good," replied Mal, eating another strawberry.

"Can you at least try an apple?" suggested Ben, giving her one.

Mal was about to take the apple, but hesitated. "This isn't one of Evie's pranks, is it?"

"No," answered Ben.

Mal takes the apple and slowly takes a bite. She chews slowly until she knew that the apple was normal.

"Sorry, it's just that Evie, well... Mischief in her blood," said Mal. "I read about her little exploding cake gag on Jay."

"Where did she get that from?" asked Ben.

"Everyone on the Isle is mischievous," said Mal. "But Evie took mischief to a whole new level, even before she sang the word in our famous little number."

Mal stayed quiet for a little while as she continued eating her apple. Ben started eating a jelly donut. Minutes pass by as no one spoke a single word. The sorceress and the prince just continued enjoying their picnic silently. After finishing her apple, Mal continued eating her strawberries. She made sure to leave one in the bowl for Ben, but he just moved the bowl closer to her, letting her have it.

"Hey, uh, Ben," said Mal. "You have a little something..." Mal pointed below her lip, telling Ben that he still had some jelly. "Hang on. I got it." Mal sweeps the jelly off Ben's face with her finger and eats it.

"Looks like we finished our picnic," said Ben.

"Thanks for the information, King Obvious," replied Mal with slight sarcasm. "But that doesn't mean our date is over."

Mal and Ben leaned towards each other and shared a kiss. They retreated after five seconds.

"Your lips still taste like strawberry," said Ben.

Mal wipes some of the strawberry juice off her lips and places her soaked finger on Ben's cheek, smiling as she does it. Ben picks up a towel and wipes it off.

"Where does this come from?" asked Ben.

"Being evil means also being a little insane," said Mal. "Be glad I'm not as nuts as my mother."

"Are you sure you don't want to fix that?" asked Ben.

"Ben, we all have something weird about us. If mine is a twisted sense of humor, then it stays a part of me," said Mal.

"Just, please, don't do something like that in public," said Ben.

Mal replied with a smirk.

"Can I ask you something?" started Ben. "Why did you leave the ring with me? Why didn't you tell Evie instead? She was in more pain than any of us."

"I think it's obvious that the answer is... I trust you," said Mal.

"There's more to it than that," said Ben.

Mal twitched her lips before she spoke. "I knew I had to get rid of the ring to really hide myself, but wondering who to leave it with was something I had to think about for a while. I picked you, not just because I love you, and I trust you, but it was because you were really the only person I can rely on."

"Care to explain," asked Ben.

Mal takes a deep breath. "Evie would never leave me alone. Jay and Chad, how can I trust them to keep the ring safe? You know Jane. She's horrible at keeping secrets. Audrey is too much... Audrey, you know. Doug is always busy, even during summer. And Lonnie, well, don't tell her this, but being with Chad is really making her a little... cavalier. You're literally the only one I can trust to take care of the ring. It's not just about knowing that I'm alive."

"Then I guess you made the right choice," said Ben.

"You gave me that ring," reminded Mal. "I felt silly thinking about making the right choice, when it's obvious that I should leave it with you. I guess a part of me wanted to leave it with because, well, I'm sure know how she was while I was gone."

"Well, it's all in the past," said Ben. "You're back. Carlos is back. No more tears."

"Clearly, you're too good inside to feel scarred," said Mal.

"Is this about Evelyn?" asked Ben.

"Mostly," answered Mal. "Don't worry. Audrey talked to me about her earlier. I need to fight her, but I'm gonna try to reason with her."

Ben smiled at the sound of this.

"You look happy," noticed Mal.

"I seem to remember a teenage girl who likes to solve problems involving villains with her fists," said Ben. "And yet, here she is, actually deciding to use words to resolve a situation."

"The first time I met Evelyn, I wanted her to be my friend," said Mal. "I still do. That's why it's different this time. My mother wanted to rule Auradon, so I wanted to lock her up back in the Isle. The quartet at the rehabilitation center wanted to cause trouble, so I wanted to punch them in the face. But Evelyn is someone I respect, so I want to help her."

"Have I ever told you that I'm proud of you?" asked Ben.

"You don't have to use words to tell me that," said Mal.

"Do you want to go swimming?" asked Ben.

"Not really," said Mal. "You can go on ahead while I practice something."

"Fire tornado?" guessed Ben.

"Evelyn has twenty years experience in sorcery," said Mal. "I'm guessing she chose 'Fire Ranger' because she's good with fire. I have to, at least, try to match her in that field.

"You have one field she hasn't mastered," said Ben. "You have a big heart."

"Evelyn had one, too. She loved her family, but she let vengeance and lust for power consume her," said Mal. "I'm afraid the only field I best her in is being funny."

"Next time, try not to aggravate her," said Ben.

"Sorry, Ben," replied Mal. "I can't. I'm going to get in her nerves, and I'll only stop when she surrenders."

"Well, I'll see you later," said Ben.

Ben kisses Mal on the cheek before walking off, preparing to swim. Mal remains sitting down and creates another tornado made of fire in her hand. She tried to increase its size, but the fire just extinguished itself. Mal scolds herself, but keeps herself calm. Seeing Ben swimming in the lake, a smirk shows up on Mal's face.

Ben was just calmly swimming, when he saw Mal enter the water. She was swimming her way towards him, but she started to drown. Ben immediately dives and swims to her direction, but by the time he arrives at her spot, she vanished. Ben resurfaces, but Mal was nowhere to be seen.

"Mal! Mal!" he called out.

"Right here," said a familiar voice.

Ben looks up and found Mal sitting on top of a tree, laughing.

"You honestly think that's funny?" questioned Ben.

"You should've seen the look on your face," said Mal, smiling, clearly amused.

Ben returns to the pavilion, while Mal poofs her way there. The two begin wiping themselves dry.

"Mal, please don't that again," begged Ben.

"Alright," replied Mal. "But I can't promise you that there will be no more surprises in the future."

Ben smiled. "I wouldn't have it either way."

The two stared at each other, until their moment was interrupted by a ringing phone. It was Ben's.

"Hello," he answered.

 _"Um, Ben, it's Jane," said the caller._

"Is something wrong?" asked Ben.

 _"You and Mal have to come back," said Jane. "It's an emergency."_

"We'll be right there," said Ben before hanging up.

 **And so, that ends Mal and Ben's date. It's gonna be a rough week ahead for me, so it may take more than a couple of days to post the next chapter. Anyway, I'm sure there are more interesting stories you can read. SYS.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	22. Chaos at Cinderellasburg

**It's been a busy week, but I finally finished it. I hope the wait was worth it. Enjoy.**

"They what?!" asked Mal, surprised at what Jane just told her.

"They escaped," said Jane.

Mal sighs. "What happened?"

"Well, Mr. Corey said there was a big hole in the kitchen," said Jane.

Mal started grunting, looking like she was about to yell. Knowing what is about to come out of the sorceress' mouth, Evie rushes towards Mal and puts her hand over her friend's mouth, silencing her.

"Mal, please, not in front of Jane," pleaded Evie.

"Um, what?" Jane was clearly confused.

"Trust me. You don't want to know," said Carlos.

Mal swats Evie's hand off her mouth.

"So, now we have two problems," said Chad.

"First, the Order of the White Fire, and now, the Frightening Foursome," complained Mal.

"Hey, that's pretty good," said Jay, referring to what Mal called the escaped VKs. "What about the four of us? Do you have a name for us?"

Mal puts her finger on her chin, thinking. "Core Four?"

"Love it," replied Jay.

"So, M, what's our next move?" asked Evie.

"Mirror me," ordered Mal.

Evie gives Mal her mirror. Mal pours one drop of potion on the mirror. " _Do not let the magic vex, I command this mirror to be free of hex._ " Mal's spell boosts the potion's effect and the mirror releases a bright, yellow glow.

"Did it work?" asked Jay.

"Only one way to find out," said Mal. "E." She gives the mirror back to her blue-haired friend.

"On it," responded Evie. " _Mirror, mirror, hear my tone, show me my old home._ " The mirror shows Evie a view of the Isle of the Lost. "It works."

"Well, you know what to do," said Mal.

Evie looks back at her mirror. " _Mirror, mirror in my hand, where be the Frightening Foursome in this land?_ " The mirror shows Evie a kingdom.

"That's Cinderellasburg," said Ben.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go," panicked Chad, worried for his parents.

"Calm down, Prince Charming," said Lonnie.

"I agree. We have to protect Chad's parents, but we can't just rush in," said Mal. "Next to the four of us, Katie and her gang were the second most feared villain kids on the Isle, so we shouldn't think too little of them."

" _Mirror, mirror, zoom in, please,_ " said Evie to her mirror. The mirror did as it was told and shows the four villain kids casually hanging by a fountain. "That doesn't look like anything we're expecting."

Ben's phone rings.

"Hello?" answered Ben.

 _"Hi, sweetie," greeted Belle. "You and your friends may want to come to the castle right now."_

* * *

Ben, his friends, and the VKs immediately rushed to the castle, answering Belle's call. When they showed up in the royal living room, Belle and Beast showed them what's the latest on the news channel.

"This is Snow White, reporting live from Cinderellasburg. As you may have noticed, the city is covered in darkness. All electrical power has been cut off, so there's no way to turn on the light. It seems that the four villain kids who were last seen being transferred to Auradon's rehabilitation center have escaped, and from the looks of this video they posted online, they've returned with a vengeance."

Snow White shows the viewers the video.

 _"Hello, everyone. The name's Katie, daughter of Captain Hook, and these are my friends. Uri, the daughter of Ursula. Fernando, son of Dr. Facilier. And behind the camera is Garth, son of Gothel," introduced Katie. "As you can see, we're free, but not because we're finally good boys and girls, but because it seems that the world has given us a chance to fulfill what we desire. To make our parents proud by getting revenge on Auradon. Now, this next message is for Mal and her group of misfits."_

 _Katie steps back and lets Fernando take the spotlight. Fernando gestures for Garth to move the camera, showing everyone a tricked-out cannon._

 _"Now, as you see here, we have a little surprise for the people of Cinderellasburg," started Fernando. "We have a timer set to unleash a rain of cannonballs all over the kingdom."_

 _Uri steps forward. "This is part of our little game. We're asking our old friend, Mal, to show up and try to stop us. Let's see if she can save the kingdom in time."_

 _Garth points the camera at himself and says, "If you think we're telling you where the cannon is, tough luck. You'll have to find it yourself. Oh, and if anyone tries to leave Cinderellasburg, don't even bother. Fernando has his legion of shadows surrounding the entire kingdom. Your only hope is if your precious 'VKs' save you."_

 _Garth turns the camera back at Katie. She says, "So, what do you say, Mal? Are you and your friends up for another round? I hope you are, because if you don't show up, all these 'innocent' people are going to be taking a trip to Dead Man's Graveyard. Yo-ho-ho and see you soon."_

 _Katie starts the timer. The cannon is set to fire in fifteen minutes._

The video ends and the channel reverts back to Snow White. "And that was three minutes ago. Mal, if you're watching this, please, make us proud and do the right thing. We'll be waiting. This is Snow White, signing off."

Chad immediately turns off the TV and starts running out the door, rushing to save his parents.

"Chad, wait..." called out Lonnie, but it was too late. Chad was obviously too far to hear her.

"C'mon, guys. Let's follow the running man," said Mal sarcastically.

* * *

In Cinderellasburg, the four villain kids continue to lounge in the middle of the city, scaring a few passing bystanders and stealing some food, still waiting for the arrival of the Core Four.

"Hey, guys, look what I found," said Garth, trying on a pair of black shades.

"Cool," said Fernando.

"It's been five minutes since we sent out the message. When are they going to show up?" complained an impatient Uri.

"Calm down, Uri," said Katie. "Besides, as time continues to fly, these people are closer to meeting their demise."

A few more seconds pass by until purple smoke started to cloud the middle of the city. When the smoke cleared, standing in front of the Frightening Foursome are Mal, Evie, and Jay.

"Avast, my friends. Our guests have arrived," said Katie. "Garth, how much time left?"

"Nine minutes and twelve seconds," answered Garth, looking at the timer on the phone he stole.

"Tick tock, Mal," mocked Katie.

"Wait, where's Carlos?" asked Fernando.

"You guys are amateurs," insulted Mal.

"Does destroying an entire city sound amateurish?" retorted Katie.

"I'll be honest. Your plan is sound, but there's one thing you didn't account for," said Mal. "Evie has a magic mirror. We know where the cannon is. Why do you think Carlos isn't with us?"

"Maybe we didn't know about Evie's mirror, but we did have a contingency plan," said Katie.

"When that little runt finds the cannon, he's in for a big surprise," said Uri.

"Good thing he's not alone," added Mal.

"Enough talk. Let's do this," declared Katie.

"Four-against-three? I don't know, Katie. Doesn't sound fair," joked Uri, laughing with Katie.

Evie and Jay started running to different directions, with Uri, Fernando, and Garth following them. Mal remains standing as Katie draws her sword.

"Are you sure you want to do this again? I always beat you," said Mal.

"There's a first time for anything," said Katie.

Katie charges and strikes, but Mal repeatedly dodges her sword. Mal grabs Katie by the arm and trips her with a low kick. Mal picks up Katie's sword and points it at Katie, trying to force her to surrender. Katie pretended to hold up her arms, but a smirk creeps up on her face. A shadow sneaks up behind Mal and grabs her shadow, causing Mal to drop the sword. Mal saw Fernando trying to hold her back. Just as Katie was about to strike her, Mal casts a spell.

" _Forces of nature, hear my command, drown my enemy within the land._ "

Suddenly, a big hole cracks open underneath Fernando, causing him to fall in. Free from the shadow's grasp, Mal immediately snatches Fernando's wand by simply holding her hand out. Mal turns her attention back to Katie. She dodges another strike, then ignites her hands and chops the sword, breaking it in half. Mal knocks down Katie with a kick and snaps Fernando's wand into two.

Jay was using the rooftops as Uri follows him. Uri transforms into her eight-legged form and crawls up a house. She intercepts Jay and pins him down with her tentacles. Suddenly, she felt someone poke her shoulder. She turns around, only to get sprayed in the face with perfume. It was Evie. Uri faints and Jay frees himself. Garth manages to climb up the house and takes out his dagger.

"It's two against one, Garth," pointed out Jay. "Why don't you just put down the dagger?"

"Let me handle this, Jay," said Evie.

Evie charges at Garth and dodges his strikes. She elbows him on the shoulder, making him drop the dagger. She punches Garth in the face, then sprays him, causing him to fall asleep.

* * *

Meanwhile, Carlos, accompanied by the hero kids, were heading for a lumber mill just outside the village. They found the workers tied up and unconscious. Before Carlos can open the door, he suddenly slapped himself in the face. He turns around and saw his friends with confused looks on their faces.

"That wasn't me," said Carlos.

"Then what was it?" asked Jane.

Carlos looks down. "Fernando's shadows!"

The shadows begin attacking. Audrey and Doug were immediately incapacitated. The shadows held them as if they're wearing cuffs. The rest tried to keep their shadows away from the grasp of the evil shadows. However, while the shadows were occupied, none of them noticed that Harley is sneaking up behind the mill. She sneaks her way to the front door. There was only two minutes until the cannon starts firing. Harley was thinking of how to shut down the timer, until her hand retreats. It was a shadow, grabbing hers.

Outside, everyone but Carlos was captured and held down. Carlos continues running until Harley was brought outside.

"Well, sneak attack didn't work," said Harley. "Plan B, then."

Carlos reaches for a silver ball and activates it, unleashing bright light, causing the shadows to retreat, freeing his friends.

"Why didn't you do that in first place?" asked Audrey.

"Harley's idea, remember?" reminded Carlos.

"Well, let's shut down that timer," declared Chad.

Everyone walks inside the mill and looks at the timer. There was only thirty seconds left.

"How do we shut this down?" asked Doug.

"Katie has the button," said Carlos.

"Obviously, Mal hasn't taken it," said Chad. "Just shut this thing down."

"Okay, stand back, and let me work my magic," said Carlos.

He opens the fuse box connected to the machine and cuts the red wire, stopping the timer, with only thirteen seconds to spare.

* * *

Back in the village, Mal and Katie are still fighting. Evie and Jay came back with Uri and Garth in ropes. They tried to help Mal, but she gestured them to leave her alone. Mal blocks Katie's strike and gives the pirate a hard blow across the face.

"Like I said. I always beat you," bragged Mal.

Katie looks up at the sky. She was surprised that there wasn't any cannonballs raining down from the sky.

"Shiver me timbers! Where are the fireworks?" she wondered in anger.

"Looks like our 'little runt' did his job," said Mal.

Katie was about to get up, but Mal uses her magic to keep the pirate lying on the ground.

"What next? You gonna fry me?" questioned Katie.

"No," said Mal. "I had hopes for you and the others, but this little event just taught me a lesson. Some villain kids can't be helped. I'm taking the four of you back to the Isle of the Lost, whether Ben agrees or not."

"That's not a very good idea, Mal." The voice of Maleficent once again echoes in Mal's head. Mal closes her eyes and shakes it off.

"What's your problem? You look like you just seen a ghost," said Katie.

Mal snaps her fingers and puts Katherine to sleep.

"You really think keeping her alive is a good idea?" Maleficent spoke again.

Mal didn't respond, especially since Evie and Jay are near her. As soon as Mal had Katie tied up, Carlos, Harley, and the hero kids showed up. At the same time, Cinderella and Prince Charming did as well. They immediately rushed towards Chad, giving him a big hug.

"You saved us," said Cinderella.

"'We' saved you," said Chad, putting emphasis on "we."

"Who are you and what have you done with my son?" joked Prince Charming, laughing with his wife.

"Let's just say he's finally starting to learn," said Chad.

"You can thank me for that," gloated Lonnie.

"So, Mal, what are we gonna do with these guys?" asked Ben.

"Ben, you saw what they were about to do. We can't just take them back to the rehabilitation center," said Mal. "Whether you approve or not, I'm taking them back where they belong."

Ben frowns. "Well, it is your call."

Just before Mal can teleport herself and her friends away, Snow White ran towards them.

"Mal!" she called. "Adam just called. Auradon Prep dormitory has been destroyed."

Everyone gasped.

 **That's it for now. I'll be busy these next few days, so it may take a while to post the next chapter. Anyway, I hope you like this one. Let me know.**


	23. A New Chapter in the War

**Remember the ending of the last chapter? Well, this new one can explain it. Enjoy.**

The VKs and the hero kids returned to Auradon, only to find the dormitory of Auradon Prep destroyed. There was nothing but rubble and fire. Belle and Beast immediately approached them.

"What happened here?" asked Ben.

"We don't know," answered Beast. "It just happened."

"Is everyone safe?" asked Ben.

Belle hesitated to answer, but said, "Almost everyone."

"What do you mean?" asked Mal.

"Sofia," said Belle. "We can't find her."

Mal immediately runs towards the destroyed building. She closes her eyes and holds her hand out, trying to feel the presence of the magic of the Amulet of Avalor. After a while, she sensed it. She destroys the rubble with her magic blasts, but when she reached the spot where she sensed the amulet, she still couldn't find Sofia. She closes her eyes again and tries to concentrate. She turns to her right and looks down. She found something, or someone, lying down next to a small rock. She kneels down and saw that it was Sofia, shrunken in size.

" _All is now well, reverse the spell,_ " chanted Mal. Her spell caused the amulet to undo its power on Sofia, returning her to her normal size. Mal started gently shaking the unconscious princess. "Sofia. Sofia. Wake up."

Sofia moans, but she wouldn't wake up.

"C'mon, princess. You're still alive. Wake up," said Mal.

Sofia continues moaning, but her eyes remained closed. Mal raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms. She knows Sofia can wake up, but she thinks the princess is just playing games with her.

"Sofia, no more games, please," said Mal. "If you don't wake up now, I may just tamper with your amulet and shrink you again. Would you like that?"

"Okay, okay, I'm waking up," said Sofia, laughing.

"Why did you shrink yourself?" asked Mal.

"Someone in a suit of armor came in here. I had to shrink myself to stay undetected," said Sofia.

"Evelyn," guessed Mal. "Lonnie, take care of her."

Mal walks away while Lonnie helps Sofia stand up.

"Who do you think could've done this?" wondered Jane.

"Our favorite bucket-head," said Mal, referring to Evelyn.

"What does she hope to accomplish from this?" wondered Evie.

"Don't her plans always involve some kind of goal?" added Jay. "Or is she doing this for payback?"

"I doubt that's why, Jay," said Mal. "Besides, if she wanted payback, she would've asked for a round with me. She did try to kill me."

"Why do her soldiers fight for her?" wondered Jay. "She doesn't hesitate to take a life, but her knights just fight."

"Let's not think about that now," said Mal. "Right now, let's just focus on seeing if any of our stuff survived."

The VKs all entered the rubble to help the firemen clear out the mess. Carlos begins digging out rocks like there's no tomorrow, clearly trying to find something... or someone. He kept on running around, until he found what, or to be more precise, "who" he was looking for. It was Dude. His tail was being crushed by a rock.

"Dude!" Carlos cried out.

Carlos removes the rock and scoops the dog in his arms, giving him a big hug.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said.

Dude started licking his owner in the face, making him smile. Evie walks towards them and pets Dude. She notices the condition of his tail.

"You may want to take him to a hospital," said Evie.

A fireman walks by and said, "If you don't mind, I'll take him to a pet hospital."

"Be gentle with him," said Carlos. He gives Dude one more hug before giving him to the fireman.

Evie puts her hand on Carlos' shoulder and said, "He's gonna be fine."

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the "abandoned" warehouse, Evelyn has just returned. Her knights were simply socializing and having a little fun, but she didn't mind. She doesn't have a mission for them yet.

"Um, miss?" spoke a knight.

"Yes?" replied Evelyn.

"We heard about the dormitory explosion. Was that your doing?" asked the knight.

"Yes," answered Evelyn.

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked the knight. "Someone could've gotten hurt."

"It's a message, my dear knight," said Evelyn. "I know I promised there will be no blood spilled in this war, but that sorceress is beginning to push me."

"Can you at least tell me why you were there?" asked the knight.

"Let's just say that fortune is finally smiling in our favor," said Evelyn.

Evelyn gathers the knights and shows them a notepad. Written on it was blueprints for several weapons.

"Obviously, a full frontal assault on the castle is not a good idea," started Evelyn. "So, we'll just have to up our a game a little, and by little, I mean a lot."

"Isn't this a little too aggressive?" questioned a knight.

"I am aware of how this looks," said Evelyn. "But we need to take control of the castle. We may have numbers, but we need more. The king is not going to surrender, neither will his friends. We need to show them that we mean business."

"Do we even have the resources to build all these?" questioned a knight.

"I'm only selecting a few of these," said Evelyn. "Don't worry about resources. We're the Order of the White Fire. We can do anything."

* * *

"She did what?" Mal asked Carlos.

"She took my notepad," said Carlos, looking into his slightly burned backpack.

"Why?" asked Jay.

"I wrote my plans on that pad. Plans for weapons," said Carlos.

"If that's all she wanted, why did she have to blow up the dormitory? Why didn't she just poof into your room and take it?" wondered Evie.

"I'm such an idiot!" yelled Mal.

"Um, M..." interrupted Evie.

"Katie. Uri. Fernando. Garth. Evelyn freed them," said Mal. "She knew they would lure us out of the castle. That way, she can steal Carlos' plans without anyone to get in her way."

"She's looking for a game-changer," said Jay.

"So, aren't you guys gonna yell at me for this?" questioned Carlos.

"It's not your fault," said Evie. "You love to invent. We can't blame you for that?"

"Those inventions were never intended to be weapons. I just had to make them like that," said Carlos.

"Don't worry, man. We can handle them," said Jay confidently.

"Listen to Jay. Have some optimism," said Evie.

"We have to get those plans back," said Carlos. "We know where they are."

"First, let's relax," said Mal. "We already had a hard time in Cinderellasburg. We need to recharge our energy."

"When do we leave?" asked Evie.

"Nine o'clock," answered Mal.

* * *

Later, Lonnie takes Sofia to the castle so she can rest.

"You worry me," said Lonnie.

"I was gonna try and stop her," said Sofia. "I just didn't get there in time."

"Maybe you should've stayed in normal size," said Lonnie.

"I probably would've been dead," joked Sofia, laughing under her voice. "You don't have to coddle me, Lonnie. I can take care of myself."

"I think we all say that about ourselves," said Lonnie.

Ben enters the room.

"Hey, Ben," greeted Sofia.

"How're you feeling?" asked Ben.

"Besides a bit of dust and a bruise on my arm, I'm good," replied Sofia.

"I came here to tell you that your family is coming," said Ben. "They're taking you home."

"You don't have to do that for my protection, Ben," said Sofia.

"Actually, it was their choice to come, not mine," said Ben. "Besides, school days are canceled until the dormitory can be rebuilt. Until then, everyone has to stay home with their families."

"Have Lumiere set up the guest bedrooms, but I'm not going home," said Sofia. "I wanted to stay out of this war, mostly because I was busy with schoolwork, but no matter what, I'm staying."

"If you want to stay, then lie down. I insist," said Lonnie.

"Can I at least get some tea?" asked Sofia.

"Sure," said Ben. "What do you want. Strawberry or peppermint?"

"Peppermint," answered Sofia.

Ben leaves the room to ask the servants to prepare tea for the princess from Enchancia.

* * *

The clock strikes nine on another beautiful evening in Auradon. While the rest of the kingdom is at peace, the VKs are about to infiltrate the warehouse owned by the Order of the White Fire. Mal teleported herself and her friends to the warehouse. Mal destroys the entrance with a blast of magic, but as the four VKs get into their fighting stance, they saw that no one was in the warehouse.

"Where is everyone?" wondered Jay.

The teenagers walked inside. They checked every nook and cranny, but there was still no sign of anyone or anything. All that was found was slash marks on the walls in the main office.

"They cleared out," said Mal. "E, mirror."

Evie takes out her mirror. " _Mirror, mirror, in my hand, where is the Order in the land?_ " However, all the mirror gave her is static. "Sorry, no good."

"Wherever she went, she must've used her magic to keep that location hidden from beings and objects with magic," guessed Mal.

"What are we going to do now?" asked Jay.

"We stay in the castle, and wait for her," said Mal.

"You do realize that you're willing to put Ben in harm's way. Again," pointed out Evie.

"What do you suggest? Check every building in the entire kingdom?" replied Mal sarcastically.

"I see your point," said Evie.

"Wait a second. Where's our weapons expert?" wondered Jay, noticing that Carlos isn't in the warehouse.

Mal looks outside the window. "He's outside."

"I can't stop worrying about him," said Evie. "He's been mopey and he keeps going on about being afraid of not living after this war."

"He just came back from the dead, Evie," reminded Mal. "Take it from Sofia. You can't just live through that experience without trying to recover from a few mental scars."

"I'm gonna go talk to him," said Evie, walking out the warehouse.

* * *

Carlos just stares at the stars in the sky, once more contemplating about another day coming to an end.

"The stars look lovely, don't they?" said a familiar voice, startling Carlos.

"A 'hello' would've been nice," said Carlos.

"Sorry," apologized Evie.

"I know why you're out here," said Carlos. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can tell you."

"I know you're afraid," said Evie. "But you shouldn't be."

"I've experienced death once," reminded Carlos. "You don't think I'm afraid to go through it again?"

"We're all afraid to die, Carlos," said Evie.

Carlos didn't respond. He just looked at the grass dancing to the evening wind. Evie decided to stand very close to him. She takes the blue rose out of her hair.

"You remember when you gave me this?" started Evie.

"Your 11th birthday," answered Carlos.

"Do you know what I was thinking about after you left?" asked Evie.

Carlos looked at Evie, but didn't speak.

Evie continued. "I was thinking about the rose. I did say I love it, but when I first smelled it, it made me think about you. The rose smelled beautiful, so beautiful that I never wanted to let go of it. I felt the same way about you. Of all the gifts you could've given me, you gave me a rose. A blue rose. You know what it showed me? You know me. You care about me. I was so touched. It made me want to run after you and give you another hug. I didn't because my party was still going on, but the point is that the rose showed me something beautiful. Friendship. True friendship."

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Carlos.

"Because you were the one who taught me the meaning of friendship," said Evie. "I carried that knowledge with me for years. Just like love, friendship means always being there for someone. I hoped you would remember that."

"Always," said Carlos.

"If you're scared, then you can come to me," said Evie.

"I'm not a baby, Evie," replied Carlos.

"No, you're my first friend and the man I love," said Evie. "I don't want you to be alone. Never again. I just want you to remember that no matter where we are or what is happening, I'll always be there for you."

Carlos looks at Evie and smiles. She did as well.

"Is Jay looking?" asked Carlos.

Evie looks at the window on the side of the warehouse. Jay was talking to Mal.

"No," answered Evie.

Evie and Carlos wasted no time sharing another kiss. They would've stayed like this for as long as they wanted, but they parted after ten seconds, knowing that they have to go home soon. Despite this, they take advantage of the moment and gaze at the stars together.

 **I hope this chapter was entertaining. I'm really, really trying my best.**


	24. Kidnapping

**I have nothing to say, except... Enjoy.**

In the dungeon beneath Castle Beast, locked up in a prison cell is those who Mal calls "The Frightening Foursome." Katherine, Uri, Fernando, and Garth just sat down, bored and frustrated. A few soldiers came in and gave them their breakfast.

"Remind me again why are we're here and not back on the Isle," started Fernando.

"Mal said she didn't want this Fire Ranger freeing us again. By putting us here, she can sense the Ranger if she's nearby," reminded Katie.

"I still can't believe we were played like pawns on a chessboard," complained Uri.

"You have to admit, though. That Fire Ranger sure knows how to 'bring the house down,'" joked Garth, laughing. "Get it? Anyone?"

"Ha ha," said Katie sarcastically.

"Well, at least the food here is good," said Fernando.

"I don't care if the food is great," said Katie. "We're locked up here again, just when we were so close to making our parents proud."

"We'll try again next time," said Garth.

Katie, in anger, throws her piece of cake at Garth, covering his face in frosting.

"Thanks for the cake," said Garth, scooping some of the frosting off his face and sucks on his finger.

Katie sighs.

Suddenly, something magically poofs inside the cell. It was a phone with a note tied to it. It said "Tap Me." Katie picks up the phone and taps the screen. The screen magically turns on and on the screen is the Fire Ranger. It was a recorded message.

 _"Hello there. I'm sure you've been told of who I am, so let's skip the introduction. I need you to do something for me. I need you to kidnap Princess Sofia and bring her to me at the Broken Bridge. In case you're going to bring up the fact that you're in jail, I got the solution. I fixed this phone with magic. Just point the phone at the bars and tap the screen. You'll be free. But don't even think about double-crossing me."_

The screen shows a footage of the oil drum in the middle of the Isle of the Lost.

 _"The ammonium nitrate in that thing will destroy the entire island. If you so much as think about disobeying my orders, I won't hesitate to push the button and sink the island along with your parents."_

The screen switches back to the Fire Ranger.

 _"You have one hour."_

The screen goes black.

"She sounds serious," said Garth.

"As much as I hate being used again, I don't want our parents to suffer," said Uri.

"What are we gonna do, Katie?" asked Fernando.

"We do what she says... for now," answered Katie.

Katie points the phone at the bars and taps the screen. The phone releases a magic blast that incinerates the bars.

* * *

"Can you repeat that, please?" said Mal.

"Okay," replied a knight. "They escaped. Again."

Mal turns around to her friends. "Guys, cover Jane's ears."

Carlos and Chad did as Mal said.

Lumiere and Cogsworth were just walking along the halls, talking. When they passed by the door to the castle living room, they heard noises inside. They can hear a woman yelling, but the closed door caused them to hear only muffled words.

Inside, Mal was catching her breath after her outburst, while her friends remained standing, eyes wide open, shocked after hearing what Mal just said.

"Are you done?" asked Carlos.

"Yes," said Mal in a calm tone.

Carlos and Chad removed their hands from Jane's ears.

"Did you hear any of that?" asked Carlos.

"No," said Jane.

"Good thing you didn't," said Chad.

Ben asks Mal, "If Evelyn was here, how were you not able to sense her?"

"Never mind that," said Mal. "We gotta find Katie and her buddies before they cause more trouble."

* * *

After consulting Evie's mirror, the VKs rush to Auradon Prep. They found the Frightening Foursome in the library.

"Nice of you to join us," started Katie.

"Shh," hushed Carlos. "We're in the library."

Uri points to the librarian, unconscious and tied up.

"How did you guys get out?" asked Jay.

"What makes you think it wasn't the Fire Ranger?" replied Katie humorously.

"If she did, I would've known she was here," said Mal. "I don't care how you got out or what you're up to, but you guys are going back to jail."

"Not this time," said Katie.

Katie snaps her fingers, giving a signal. Uri and Garth close the curtains in the library. Fernando immediately sends his shadows at the four VKs and keeps them lying down on the floor. They tried to squirm free, to no avail. Mal ignites her hands and uses the fire to fend off the shadows.

"Is that the best you got?" taunted Mal.

"No," replied Katie. She takes out a vial of potion. "This is."

Katie throws the vial at Mal's direction. Mal dodges, causing the vial to hit the door.

"Missed me," mocked Mal.

"I wasn't aiming for you," said Katie.

The potion casts a spell on the door. Jay tries to open the door, but it won't budge.

"Jay! Move!" ordered Mal.

Mal fires a fire blast at the door, but it still remained undamaged.

"Sorry, Mal, but that magical barrier can only be removed with this," said Katie, gesturing to another vial of potion with her.

"You're trapped here with us," pointed out Mal.

"Oh no, we're not," said Katie.

Katie tosses a vial of potion to the floor, causing her and her friends to disappear in red smoke.

"Didn't my father use a potion like that?" questioned Jay.

"Forget that," said Mal. "We have to get out of here."

"The windows," said Carlos.

"How can you be sure they didn't escape-proof the windows?" said Evie.

"There's only one way to find out," said Mal.

Evie opens the curtains. Mal fires a magic blast at the window, but nothing happened.

"We're trapped," complained Mal.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the park, Sofia was spending time with Clover, Robin, and Mia.

"Isn't it relaxing out here?" started Sofia.

"It sure is," said Mia.

Clover was eating his carrots, which seems to bother Robin and Mia.

"What?" asked Clover, noticing the look on the birds' faces.

"It's kinda hard to relax if you keep chewing loudly," said Robin.

"A rabbit's gotta eat," said Clover, mouth full of carrots.

Sofia laughed. "Oh, Clover."

"You talk to animals?"

The voice startled Sofia. She looks around, but she didn't see anyone. Suddenly, a teenage girl dressed like a pirate came out from behind a tree.

"Katherine," said Sofia.

"So you've heard of me? I'm flattered," said Katie in a formal manner.

Sofia whispers to her animal friends, "Hide."

Mia protests. "But Sofia..."

"Go," interrupted Sofia.

Clover, Robin, and Mia left.

Sofia turns back to Katie. "What do you want with me?"

"A certain masked menace asked us to take you in," said Katie.

"Why would you do what the Fire Ranger says?" asked Sofia.

"Let's just say we came to an agreement," replied Katie.

"That's a lie," said Sofia.

"It doesn't matter if you believe it or not," said Katie. "C'mon out, guys. No need to be shy."

On cue, Uri comes down from the tree, Fernando comes out from a bush, and Garth gets up from the bench.

"Alright, princess. Either you come quietly or we have to get rough," threatened Katie.

"I'm warning you. I learned martial arts at school," said Sofia, trying to look and sound brave when she is really nervous.

"She's not coming quietly," said Uri.

"Have it your way, princess," said Katie.

Katie was about to draw her sword, until Sofia started to run away. Uri transforms into her octopus form and tries to use her tentacles to grab Sofia, but she keeps evading. Sofia started running back, still dodging Uri's tentacles, causing them to accidentally hit Fernando and Garth. The smile on Sofia's face tells that she's doing this on purpose. When one of Uri's tentacles accidentally hits Katie, the vial of potion fell off her and into a bush.

Sofia continues dodging Uri's tentacles, but what she didn't notice was Katie sneaking up behind her. Katie draws her sword and hits Sofia in the head with the handle, knocking her out cold.

"Alright, guys, we've got twenty minutes to deliver the package," said Katie. "Let's tie her up and get to that bridge."

As the four villain kids take Sofia away, Clover, Robin, and Mia watched from behind a tree.

"What are we gonna do?" asked Mia.

"Let's find Mal," suggested Robin.

"But she can't understand us," said Clover.

"Well, we can't save Sofia on our own," said Robin.

"To Mal then," said Clover, agreeing.

"What about that potion?" asked Mia, looking at the vial in the next bush.

"Well, we might as well keep it away from the wrong hands," said Clover.

Robin and Mia both carry the vial as they depart with Clover to find Mal, hoping to inform her of Sofia's kidnapping.

 **That's it for now. When I have the time, I'll be working on the next chapter.**


	25. The Order Strikes Back

**Picking up where we left off...**

In Auradon Prep library, Mal is continuously pounding on the door in an attempt to open it. While she does, Evie is reading a book about the story Snow White, Carlos is reading a book about the story of the 101 Dalmatians, and Jay is just kicking back. Two minutes have passed and Mal still won't stop pounding the door.

"Mal, that door's not going to budge," said Jay.

"Need I remind you that we have four problems to take care of?" retorted Mal.

"Since that potion Katie used also blocks cell signals, we can't call for help," reminded Jay. "Give it a break already."

Meanwhile, Clover, Robin, and Mia are still searching for Mal. They looked everywhere in the castle, but she wasn't there. Robin suggested they try the school. When they heard pounding, they found the library. Mia peeks through the keyhole and saw Mal repeatedly hitting the door.

"She's in here," said Mia.

"Why can't she just magic her way out of there?" wondered Robin.

"Maybe those other villain kids did something to the door?" guessed Clover.

"Well, touch it," said Mia.

Clover slowly reaches for the door. When his paw finally touches the wood, he got shocked.

"Ouch," he said, clutching his paw in pain.

"Let's go find Fairy God Mother," suggested Mia.

"What about the potion?" asked Robin.

"Just smash it," said Clover.

Mia and Robin fly to the ceiling and drop the vial, smashing it into pieces. However, the destroyed vial releases a blue cloud that clouds the library door. Inside, Mal was still pounding on the door, until she stepped back when the door was being covered in blue smoke. Evie, Carlos, and Jay almost fell out of their chairs at the sight of this.

"What just happened?" asked Carlos.

"Let me answer that," said Mal.

Mal kicks the door and it finally opens. She looks down and saw both Sofia's animal friends and a destroyed vial.

"Uh... thank you," said Mal, feeling awkward talking to animals.

Robin and Mia immediately grab Mal by the sleeve and started pulling her.

"Hey, what gives?" Mal reacted.

"I think they want us to follow them," said Carlos.

Robin and Mia started flying away while Clover follows. The VKs exchange looks before following Sofia's animals.

* * *

At the Broken Bridge, the Frightening Foursome have arrived with Sofia tied and still unconscious. They see the Fire Range just staring at the Isle of the Lost.

"One minute to spare," she started.

"We upheld our end of the bargain," said Katie. "Are you gonna spare our parents?"

"The bomb stays on the Isle," said the Fire Ranger.

"The wasn't the deal," retorted Uri.

"The deal is that I don't blow up the Isle today if you give me the princess," clarified the Fire Ranger. "If you're so worried about your parents, then you can join them in their timely demise."

Evelyn waves her hand and causes the four villain kids to faint. Evelyn takes out the remote and was about to push the button, until she was interrupted by a voice from the distance.

"Evelyn!"

She saw Mal and her friends coming towards her.

"I knew you'd come," said Evelyn.

"Let our friend go," demanded Carlos.

"If you want her, you're gonna have to fight for her," said Evelyn, drawing her electric sword.

"Hey, wait, that's my idea," said Carlos,

"She did steal your plans," reminded Evie.

"Actually, she made it before she stole your plans," said Mal. "She used it in our fight at the warehouse the other night."

"I took a peek at your plans once before," said Evelyn.

"An electric sword? Doesn't quite fit with her name," said Jay.

"That's what I said," said Mal.

"Enough!" yelled Evelyn.

Evelyn charges at Mal. Evie, Jay, and Carlos spread out. As always, Mal uses her reflexes to avoid Evelyn's strikes. While Mal is busy dodging, her other friends were getting ready to strike from behind.

"Um, can someone explain why our old friends are lying down on the floor?" wondered Jay, noticing Katie and her gang unconscious.

"Clearly, Evelyn broke them out again. I'm guessing she asked them to kidnap Sofia," said Evie.

"Evelyn must've double-crossed them," said Carlos.

"No surprise there. She's not a fan of our kind," said Jay.

Evelyn continues to fail to strike Mal, so she decided to use magic. She unleashes a magic blast and gets a direct hit on Mal. She activates the sword and started shocking Mal, but she was stopped when Carlos throws a paint bomb at her, causing her to drop the sword. Mal recovers, ignites her fist, and punches Evelyn in the face, partially shattering her helmet. Mal was about to strike again, but when she looked at Evelyn's exposed eye, she paused. Evelyn strikes at Mal, but she dodges the blow and kicks Evelyn twice. Mal sends her ignited fist towards Evelyn's face, but the Ranger blocks the strike, then gives Mal a critical blow across the face.

Evie jumps out of the bushes and attacks Evelyn, but Evelyn quickly takes down Evie with one punch and a simple magic blast. Jay and Carlos attack Evelyn at the same time. Evelyn manages to hold her own, largely thanks to her metal suit, and fends off the two. She knocks down Carlos with a kick and uses her magic to push Jay towards a tree.

Evelyn looks back at Mal. "I must admit. Your friends have fire, but they're pathetic."

"You learned from me," reminded Mal.

Mal was about to get up, but Evelyn straps the sorceress to the ground with cuffs glued to the earth, neutralizing her magic. She picks up her sword and approaches a still-unconscious Carlos.

"Do you know why I wanted the princess?" asked Evelyn.

"Leverage to make us surrender?" guessed Mal.

"No," replied Evelyn. "I needed you and your friends to show up, because this is the time one of you have to die for the cause."

"Uh, I'm right here," sassed Mal, pointing out that Evelyn is standing near Carlos instead of her.

"I'm not going to kill you yet," said Evelyn. "Our final fight will come at another time, but first, I want to see the real you in battle."

"What do you mean?" asked Mal.

"You've seen what I'm capable of. True, I learned from you, but grief and determination drive me to bring out my best," said Evelyn. "As for you, you're a deadly fighter, I have to admit. You may not have a long experience in magic, but you do have a lot of fire in your heart. But I want to see what you're truly capable of. I want to see if grief can turn you into a living weapons deadlier than I am."

"No, no," pleaded Mal, knowing what Evelyn's words mean. "Please, Evelyn. Don't do this."

"You should've stayed dead while you were ahead, Mal," said Evelyn.

Evelyn activates her sword and sends an electric beam at Carlos, but, out of nowhere, Sofia jumps in the way and takes the hit. Carlos started to wake up, only to see Evelyn shocking Sofia non-stop. Carlos takes out a mini-bomb and throws it at Evelyn, blowing her back, stopping Sofia's torture. Sofia faints. Carlos immediately tends to his friend.

"Sofia, please, don't this to me again," pleaded Carlos, hoping she alive.

Evelyn gets up and, for some reason, frees Mal from her cuffs.

"I'll see you later. I have a castle to attack," said Evelyn before disappearing.

Evie finally wakes up and sees Carlos holding Sofia in his arms. Jay also wakes up, clutching his head. Mal immediately rushes towards the tech prodigy.

"Is she alright?" asked Mal.

Carlos removes Sofia's ropes and puts his fingers on her wrist, trying to feel a pulse. He says, "She's alive." Suddenly, Carlos got shocked and retracted his fingers. "But her body absorbed too much electricity. I don't know if she's ever gonna wake up."

"What just happened here?" asked Jay.

"Sofia saved Carlos. Again," answered Mal. "She took another hit for him."

"Is she gonna be okay?" asked Evie.

"She's alive and that's good enough for me," answered Mal. "But right now, we have other matters to attend to."

"What?" asked Jay.

"Evelyn didn't just bring us here to kill one of us. She lured us away from the castle so she can attack," said Mal. "We have to go."

"What about Sofia?" asked Carlos.

"Take her to a hospital, then meet us at the castle," said Mal.

"What about our old friends?" asked Evie, pointing to the Frightening Foursome.

Mal waves her finger and chants, " _At the sound of a broken teacup, wake em 'up._ " Mal casts her spell on the four. Mal poofs up a teacup on her hand and drops it, shattering it to pieces. The sound woke up Katie and her gang. Mal immediately walked over and grabbed Katie in an unfriendly manner.

"Why did you do it?" asked Mal furiously.

"You mean kidnap the princess? The Fire Ranger threatened to blow up the Isle today if we don't," answered Katie.

The look on Mal's face tells that she was surprised at Katie's answer.

"You were worried about your parents," said Mal.

"We maybe villains, but our parents are, well, our parents," said Katie. "Who are we to just let them die?"

"You guys actually care for them," said Evie.

Katie and her friends hanged their heads, feeling a little disappointed at themselves for showing signs of compassion.

"Yes," said Katie all of a sudden.

Mal lets go of Katie and thinks.

"I have a proposition," said Mal. "You help us stop the Fire Ranger from taking over the castle, and we'll take you back to the rehabilitation center."

"I thought you said we can't be helped," retorted Katie.

"That was before now," said Mal. "If you guys are capable of love, then you have the chance to be good."

"I'd rather go home than go back there," said Garth.

"Sorry, Mal, but we just don't 'want' to be good," said Uri, emphasizing "want."

"Do you at least want payback on Evelyn?" offered Evie.

"Evelyn?" questioned Fernando, confused.

"Oh, sorry. That's the Fire Ranger's real name," clarified Jay.

"We'll go with you," said Katie, agreeing to the deal. "On one condition. You don't take us back to the rehabilitation center. You invite us back to Auradon Prep."

"Why would you want that? Freedom to cause chaos?" accused Mal.

"Do you want us to help you or not?" retorted Katie.

Mal glares at Katie for a few seconds before saying, "Deal."

Carlos carries Sofia's body and walks away, while Mal takes Evie, Jay, and Katie's gang with her to the castle, via teleportation.

* * *

As soon as Mal and her party poofed into the guest bedroom, they saw Ben looking outside the window. He heard the sound of magic and turned around to see Mal, Evie, Jay, and the Frightening Foursome.

"Care to explain?" started Ben.

"They're helping us," said Mal.

"We need all the help we can get," said Ben. "You may want to look."

Everyone looks outside the window to see the knights from the Order of the White Fire attacking the castle guards. The battle was one-sided since the Order's knights were equipped with new weapons, thanks to the theft of Carlos' plans. The knights' arsenal included arrows with tips coated with a sleeping formula, bombs the release liquid steel instead of paint, and blasters that fire stink bombs.

"This doesn't look good," said Evie.

"I think that's obvious," said Uri sarcastically.

"Do you want a punch to the face?" threatened Evie.

"Enough," interrupted Mal. "We have to go."

"Wait, where are the others?" asked Jay.

"In the other guest bedroom," answered Ben.

"I thought you didn't want your men to fight because you're afraid of losing anyone," recalled Mal.

"True, but my parents talked me into giving out a different order," said Ben.

"Do you mind if we crash the party?" asked Mal.

"Go ahead," replied Ben. He looks at the entire party and realizes something. "Where's Carlos? Where's Sofia?"

"Sofia got hurt. Carlos is taking her to the hospital," answered Mal.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go," said Evie.

"Take care out there," said Ben.

Mal didn't speak. She just smiled and plants a kiss on Ben's cheek.

Katie sighed, disgusted. "Can we go now?"

Mal snaps her fingers and teleports herself and her party outside.

* * *

The fights goes on, but the castle guards are beginning to diminish in number. Dozens of guards are either unconscious or glued to the ground by hardened liquid steel. Mal and her party arrive and immediately get in the action. Meanwhile, at a safe distance from the castle, Evelyn observes the fight.

"Any further orders, mistress?" asked a knight.

"Give me my sonic cannon," ordered Evelyn.

Back in the castle grounds, the number of castle guards standing continue to decrease, while the VKs remain standing.

"This is nuts," said Garth.

"If you don't like this, you can always leave," said Jay.

"Focus!" yelled Mal.

Mal, as always, is being a loose cannon on the battlefield. Striking left and right, flipping and jumping, and using her instincts to get the upper hand. One knight kept trying to shoot her with a stink bomb blaster, but Mal, as always, is too agile. She gets closer to the knight, kicks the gun away from his hand, and gives him a flip kick. Mal saw a bomb roll towards her. She gets out of the way as it blows up. Mal saw the knight who threw it and charges towards him. She slides through in between his legs and gives him and kick in the back.

Evie was using the sprayer Carlos made for her. Of course, since she doesn't have a second bottle of sleeping perfume, she had to get her hands dirty to keep her perfume from being wasted. Using her martial arts skills, Evie was paving her way through knights almost as easily as Mal does. However, one knight sneaks up behind her and cuts the tube connected to her sprayer. Luckily for Evie, she doesn't need her perfume. She just gave the knight a hard punch to the helmet.

A fallen castle guard gives his sword to Jay and the ex-thief puts it to good use, humiliating knight after knight in sword fighting. Cocky as always, Jay doesn't hesitate to take on the rear guard, most of them being archers. Jay dodges arrow after arrow and disarms the archers with his sword. He takes one arrow and sticks it into someone's shoulder, putting him to sleep.

The Frightening Foursome, however, are struggling to remain standing against the knights. Even though they're as deadly as the other VKs, they were having trouble fighting the well-trained knights. Katie's sword skills are exceptional, but the Order's knights were almost as or just as skilled as her. Uri uses her eight-legged form to gain the advantage, but already half of her tentacles have been hit by arrows. She hasn't fallen asleep yet, but in time, she will. Since there's no darkness to summon shadows, Fernando had to rely on sorcery, via his wand, which Mal repaired, using magic blasts and gags to overpower his enemies. Garth's dagger is too small compared to a sword, but he still manages to hold his own, if barely.

"These guys are good," said Garth.

"They make Queen of Hearts' guards look like three years olds with tantrums," added Uri, still fighting the urge to sleep.

"Don't surrender. Keep fighting," said Katie.

"Easy for you to say," said Fernando, trying to cast spells as fast as he can.

* * *

Meanwhile, at a hospital in the nearest village from the castle, Sofia lies down in bed, still in a coma. Carlos sits next to her, waiting for her to wake up. The doctor comes in.

"Is she gonna be okay, doctor?" asked Carlos.

"I'm not so sure," said the doctor. "Her body is in stasis from all that electricity, but... I'm sorry, but we don't know what to do. We can treat her wounds, but medication hasn't evolved to the point we can treat something like this. All we can do is hope that she will wake up."

Carlos hangs his head, clearly in despair, afraid that he will have to face Sofia's death once again. Carlos was turned away from his sorrow when he saw the news on the television about the ongoing onslaught at the castle.

"Keep me posted," said Carlos. Before he left, he tells Sofia, "Thank you."

* * *

Back at the castle, Katie and her gang were starting to fall. Archers have successfully hit all of Uri's tentacles, and the daughter of Ursula could no longer fight the temptation to sleep, due to absorbing too much of the sleeping formula. Garth loses his dagger when he attempted to fight two knights at the same time and is captured. Fernando was hit with three stink bombs and faints. Katie was surrounded and swords were pointed at her. She had no choice but to drop her sword and put her hands in the air. Mal, surprisingly, came to her rescue, and takes on all the knights surrounding Katie.

All of a sudden, everyone who wasn't a knight of the Order started hearing a loud noise, causing them to cover their ears and collapse. It was Evelyn, using her sonic cannon. The interruption results in the capture of every single VK left standing on the battlefield.

Evelyn approaches the captured teenagers and looks at Mal.

"Today is just not your day," taunted Evelyn.

"At least I don't have a bucket on my head," retorted Mal humorously.

Evelyn slaps Mal across the face. As always, the sorceress didn't care. She just remained smiling.

"Guards, take her with us," ordered Evelyn. "I want her to witness as I take the throne from her beloved king."

The knights take Mal along as Evelyn uses her sonic cannon to break down the front door. While a dozen knights join their leader, the rest of the VKs are left outside, guarded.

"Well, things could have been worse..." said Evie.

"Oh, would you stop?" yelled an irritated Katie.

"Be silent, children!" yelled a knight.

"You're not the boss of me," retorted Katie.

"But our boss would not hesitate to make you silent," said the knight.

"Why do you guys fight for her?" questioned Evie. "She's ruthless, aggressive, and blew up a dormitory full of innocent teenagers."

"Our loyalty is not to be questioned," replied a knight. "We don't fight for her. She expects us to fight for peace. When she overthrows the king, your kind will be banished and Auradon can once again be a land without worry."

"By forcing the people to bow down to a psychotic woman in a bucket helmet?" questioned Jay.

"She doesn't intend to force anything. True, she's forcing your king to step down, but that's it. She only hopes that the people will believe in her," said a knight.

While the conversation goes on, nobody notices Carlos sneaking up from behind the castle. He takes out three small silver balls and throws them at three knights, covering them in paint, before hiding. The knights spread out to look for the intruder. With the number of knights guarding the VKs decreased, Carlos sneaks up and takes down the remaining knights with a few more paint bombs and fighting moves he learned from his video games.

"'Bout time you showed up," said Jay.

"Sorry," apologized Carlos as he started untying his friends and enemies. "I had to stay at the hospital to know if Sofia's going to wake up."

"Is she?" asked Evie.

Carlos hesitated to answer.

"I understand," said Evie, knowing why Carlos didn't want to answer. "But she's still alive, right?"

Carlos nodded.

* * *

Inside the castle, Evelyn, her knights, and Mal are on their way to the throne room. When they finally arrived, instead of Ben, they found Audrey, Chad, Lonnie, Jane, and Doug.

"Ben figured you'd come here," said Audrey.

"Where is he?" asked Evelyn.

"Right behind you," answered Lonnie.

Evelyn turns around and saw Ben standing in the doorway, with his parents.

"If this is an attempt to ambush me, you've done a poor job," mocked Evelyn.

"We're not attacking. We're here to negotiate," said Ben. "First, let Mal go."

For some reason, Evelyn did as Ben said and releases Mal from her ropes. Mal walks towards Ben and gives him a hug.

"Do you actually believe you can persuade me to stop this with words, your majesty?" questioned Evelyn.

"I'm not going to persuade you. Mal is," said Ben.

Mal looked at Ben, but didn't question him. She walks forward and looks at Evelyn. "Evelyn, if you keep this up, the people will not accept you. You tried to kill me and blew up the dormitory. You're no better than the villains you hate."

"I never wanted to spill blood, but you were the one who pushed me," said Evelyn.

"I don't want us to enemies, Evelyn," said Mal. "Please, just stop this and give us a chance to make it up to you."

"You can do that by surrendering the throne to me," said Evelyn.

"If you won't stop, then we can have our final battle here and now," said Mal.

"Now's not the time," said Evelyn. "Just surrender now and no one gets hurt."

"Don't listen to her, Mal!"

Everyone looks outside the doorway. The voice came from Carlos, who is running in with Evie, Jay, Katie, Uri, Fernando, and Garth.

"No matter what you choose to do, someone will get hurt," said Evie.

"Let's finish this," declared Jay.

"Uh, please not in the castle," replied Belle.

Before another fight can begin, more of Evelyn's knights walk in. They all draw their swords, trying to force the heroes and VKs to surrender.

"Looks like you're outnumbered," said Evelyn with a smirk on her face.

"We surrender!" said Carlos, raising his arms.

"Carlos!" yelled Mal, Evie, and Jay.

Jay tells Evelyn, "We've taken on entire armies before."

"Now's not the time to be cocky, Jay," said Mal.

"We can't let Evelyn win," protested Evie.

"She's already won," said Mal.

Everyone looks at Mal, surprised at what she just said.

"For now," continued Mal. "Evelyn, the castle is yours, but we won't be your prisoners. We're leaving, but we'll be back to stop you. Cater to the public while you can. Let's see if they'll accept after everything you've done. When I get back, you're gonna pay. The war maybe yours, but the war between the two of us isn't over."

Mal snaps her fingers and teleports herself and her friends away.

Evelyn slowly walks towards the throne. She takes off her helmet and sits down.

All the knights present in the throne room cheered.

Evelyn starts to speak. "Now, I will give to you what I promise. Peace. But first, we have to show the people that our intentions are for the good of the kingdom. Let us show them why the Order of the White Fire exists. But let us not also forget that Mal and her flunkies are still out there. They will try to stop us. Send search parties all over the kingdom. It's not over until the villain kids are locked up in the Isle of the Lost."

As the knights prepare to fix up the castle, Evelyn heads to the top floor balcony and stares at the blue sky.

"Be prepared, Mal. When we see each other again, I hope you're ready to show your true colors. If you want to take back the kingdom, you're gonna have to end me."

 **All seems lost, but it's not over yet. Please be patient for the next chapter. I promise it'll come in a few days.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	26. Strong Words

**Knock, knock? ... Hello? ... Is anyone still here? ... If yes, enjoy the new chapter.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

After surrendering to the Order of the White Fire, Mal took herself, her friends, and Ben's parents to Sleeping Beauty's castle. Katie and her gang, however, didn't want to stick around with the heroes anymore. They parted ways to plan their revenge on Evelyn on their own. When the remaining teenagers knocked on the front door, Sleeping Beauty and Prince Philip didn't have a reason to say no to let the kids stay for the meantime. After all, two of them happen to be their children.

When the teenagers were left alone in a room, all eyes were on Mal.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"You surrendered," reminded Jay. "That doesn't sound like Mal to me."

"I know what I did," said Mal.

"Why?" asked Evie. "Is it because she's your friend and you don't want to hurt her?"

"I got over that already, E," said Mal. "I'm not afraid to punch her in the face anymore."

"Then why did you surrender to her instead of fighting her?" questioned Jay.

"The battle was lost. All of Ben's men were down. We're severely outnumbered," said Mal. "She almost took away someone I care about. I don't want to lose anyone." She looks at Carlos. "How is she?"

"In a coma," answered Carlos with a frown.

"So, we just hide here while we wait for the right time to attack?" asked Chad.

"Right now, let's just focus on catching our breaths," said Mal.

"What if Evelyn sends a search party after us?" asked Ben. "We may have to run if they find us here."

"We can worry about that when they do find us," said Mal.

"There's something bothering you," said Ben.

Mal looked at Ben, but she didn't respond.

"Guys, please, let's not fight in my house," pleaded Audrey. "We can all agree that Mal surrendering is strange, but I think we can all agree that she did to protect us."

"That's so sweet. Sisters backing up each other," replied Evie with a sweet, sarcastic tone.

"That's not nice," said Jane, referring to Evie's tone.

Evie glares at Jane, who just looks away, intimidated.

Someone knocks on the door. Ben answers. It was Queen Leah.

"Ben, Aurora says there's something in the news you need to see," she said.

* * *

The teenagers joined Aurora and Philip to watch the news on television, reported by Snow White.

"... I repeat one last time. We are getting a live message from the mysterious group that attacked the castle earlier today," she said.

The screen switches to the live message. Evelyn was on the screen, wearing her helmet, thought her left eye was still exposed, thanks to Mal.

She begins to speak. "People of Auradon, I'm sure you've all seen me before. You all probably think I'm a terrorist or just another villain that your villain kids have to stop. Well, allow me to help you open your eyes to the truth. But first, I think it's best if you all see for who I really am."

Evelyn takes off her helmet and the entire kingdom was shocked to see a young woman in front of their eyes.

The leader of the Order continues. "My name is Evelyn. I'm 22 years old and a child alone in this world. No family. No home. No friends. I'm sure there are some of you who do know me. My old teachers. My old friends from school. Children who visit the park. If you're wondering why someone like me has gone down this dark path, then let me show you this..."

Evelyn shows the footage from last year, specifically, the "lights raining from the sky" catastrophe. After a few seconds, she switches the screen back to herself and continues.

"You can remember what happened that day? Light rained from the sky and took hundreds of innocent lives, including my family. The men and women who follow me have suffered through what I had. You can all say that Maleficent is the one to blame, but open your eyes. Have you ever asked yourselves how Maleficent escaped? The villain kids. Sure, maybe their presence here on Auradon has given us hope that the new generation of villains, but think about it. Ever since they showed up, Auradon has become a field of war once again. From Maleficent's first attack to an undead skeleton army, it seems that trouble is always around the corner. But the villain kids shouldn't take all the blame. The blame should be on the once King Ben. Yes, he's a good boy and a good king, but his decision to bring the villain kids here to Auradon has resulted in nothing but suffering and tragedy. You all remember the time that Mal switched to the side of evil and murdered Princess Sofia? Even if she's alive today, there is no changing the fact that she has shown herself to be dangerous. This is why I wanted to overthrow the king. To liberate Auradon from a time of suffering."

Evelyn stands up and walks towards a window as the camera followed her.

"I'm sure you have your reasons to believe I'm a monster. Attacking the king. Blowing up the school dormitory. I never wanted to spill blood in this war, but the daughter of Maleficent showed me that winning a war means giving it all. I am not forcing you to bow down before me. I am simply asking you to think about everything I have said. I want you to see that Auradon needs a new leader. Someone who wants to return Auradon to the glory days where we were free to live our lives in peace. The Order of the White Fire will make sure of that."

The message ends.

The camera is back again on Snow White. "Strong words from a young woman. What do you people think? Does she really want what's good for Auradon? Is getting rid of the VKs the best way to do this? Should we forgive her for her previous actions? I leave that to you. This is Snow White, signing off."

Mal turns off the television with her magic, not wanting to watch anymore.

"Don't worry, Mal. They won't accept her," said Jay.

"Why wouldn't they?" said Mal all of a sudden. "Evelyn maybe a psychopath, but she's kinda right. Our presence here has resulted in a lot of bad things. We may have proven ourselves good, but what about our actions? True, we fight for good, but when you really think about, we're actually just cleaning up our mess. Mother escaped because I pushed Jane. Evie's trip to the Isle led to her return. Everything that she's done was because we didn't abandon our goal when we first came here."

"I can't believe you're saying this," said Ben. "Are you actually agreeing with her? Do you really believe my one decision made me a terrible ruler?"

Mal looks at Ben and says, "Of course not. You're a great king, Ben. You made the right choice. I was taking about me and my friends. We chose to steal Fairy God Mother's wand instead of walking away when we were finally free. I know there's no changing the past, but forgiveness is not enough to make up for the lives that were lost last year. When you put the pieces together, the VKs created the Fire Ranger. Her existence was inevitable."

"Okay, so it's our fault, but we're gonna make up for it," said Evie. "We're gonna stop her. We're gonna show the people that we deserve to be here."

"Unless Evelyn turns the people on us," said Mal, feeling hopeless.

"She blew up the school dormitory," reminded Evie. "Nobody died, but somebody could've. If we're lucky, that moment will work for us."

Mal didn't respond, but she smiled, appreciating her friend's optimism at a time when it looks like the villain has won the day.

"Leave it to you to bring up the sun in a stormy day," said Mal, still smiling.

 **That's all I can write for now. Stay tuned for the next chapter.**


	27. The Origin of the Name

**It's a little short, but don't let that get in the way. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**

After successfully taking over the castle and making a speech on television, Evelyn retreats to the king's quarters to rest. She takes off her armor and sits down on the bed. She opens her locket and looks at the picture inside. It was a picture of her and her family on her 20th birthday. The sight of this only made her eyes water and a tear rains down from her cheek.

"I miss you so much."

She holds the locked close to her heart.

"You probably won't be proud of me if you were here to see what I've become, but I'm doing this in your name. I want to make sure no one suffers what I've suffered. No matter what I do, I'll always be your little Fire Ranger."

Hearing herself say her alter ego, her mind wanders back to the day the name originated.

* * *

 _Two years ago..._

 _Evelyn was walking home after another day at the park. Despite the hardships, she actually enjoyed her job. When she looked at the sky, she saw smoke. From her point of view, the smoke was coming from where her farm house was. She started running, hoping her family is alright. Suddenly, she stopped halfway._

 _"Why am I running when I can be poofing?" she asked herself, feeling silly running when she can just teleport to her house._

 _Evelyn teleports herself to her farm house with a wave of a hand. When she arrived, she saw that her house was on fire. She teleports inside the house._

 _"Mom? Dad"_

 _"Up here, Evelyn!" screamed Maria._

 _Evelyn runs upstairs and found her parents trapped in their bedroom because of the fire._

 _"Help us!" screamed Maria._

 _"Don't worry," said Evelyn._

 _Evelyn closes her eyes and holds out both her hands. Concentrating hard enough, she manages to manipulate the fire. Concentrating even harder, she extinguished them. Evelyn rushes into the room and helps her mother in helping Jon walk outside._

 _"How did this happen?" asked Evelyn._

 _"We don't know," answered Maria._

 _"Where's Eddy?" asked Evelyn."_

 _"We don't know," answered Jon._

 _Evelyn helps her parents walk outside. After doing so, she runs back inside to find her baby brother. After extinguishing a few more flames, she entered the kitchen and found Eddy, unconscious, due to the collapsed ceiling. Evelyn extinguishes the fire surrounding the boy and picks him up. Before she can run outside, she saw the fire about to ignite a gas tank._

 _Outside, Maria was trying to comfort her ailing husband. Suddenly, the house explodes. Maria and Jon feared the worst has happened to their children._

 _"Right behind you," said a familiar voice._

 _Jon and Maria turned around and saw their daughter, holding her adopted brother in her arms. The family get together for a group hug as Eddy began to wake up._

 _"Mommy, my head hurts," said Eddy._

 _"It's okay," said Maria, scooping the boy in her arms._

 _"Eddy, did you do this?" asked Evelyn._

 _"It was an accident," said Eddy._

 _"Why were you in the kitchen?" asked Evelyn._

 _"It's your birthday tomorrow. I wanted to make you something nice," said Eddy._

 _"That's sweet, Eddy, but next time, ask mommy for help. You're not old enough to cook," said Evelyn. "Okay?"_

 _"I understand," replied Eddy._

 _"Well, looks like we'll have to rebuild the entire house," said Jon, looking at his destroyed farm house._

 _"Can't Evelyn use her magic?" asked Eddy._

 _"Actually, I think I don't mind a little labor," said Evelyn. "Maybe we can teach little Eddy how build a house."_

 _"Just make sure he stays away from the hammers," said Jon._

 _"Oh, wait. Where are our manners, Jon?" said Maria, remembering something. She looks at her daughter. "Thank you, Evelyn. You're our hero."_

 _Evelyn scratches the back of her head, embarrassed and pleased. "It was nothing."_

 _"It wasn't nothing," said Jon. "We would be goners if it wasn't for you. Well... I'd be a goner sooner, to be specific."_

 _"And the way you handled that fire. Magnificent," complimented Maria._

 _"Can you show me?" Eddy asked his big sister._

 _"Fire isn't a toy, Eddy," said Evelyn._

 _"But you're okay," said Eddy. "They should give you a name. I'm thinking... Fire Ranger."_

 _"I'm a park ranger, Eddy, not a superhero," said Evelyn._

 _"Actually, I like it," said Maria. "Our little Fire Ranger."_

 _"I'm not a little girl anymore, mom," said Evelyn, feeling embarrassed again._

 _"You may not be, but you'll always be our little girl," said Maria, putting emphasis on "our."_

 _Evelyn laughed a little._

 _"Well, if it's okay with... the Fire Ranger... we can get started on the house," said Jon._

 _The entire family started laughing together._

* * *

Evelyn's mind was brought back to the present when someone knocked on the door. She closes her locket and answers the door.

"Mistress, we found them," reported the knight.

"Where are they?" asked Evelyn.

"In Sleeping Beauty's castle," answered the knight.

"Tell the men there not to attack until everyone's asleep," ordered Evelyn.

"Yes, mistress," replied the knight.

"Anything else?" asked Evelyn.

"Well... um... actually... uh..." stuttered the knight.

"No need to be nervous. Just tell me," said Evelyn.

"Some of the others are... kinda concerned about you," said the knight. "You did blow up the dormitory."

Evelyn sighs. "I know that was an unacceptable course of action, but that doesn't matter now. All I care about is finishing this once and for all."

The knight walks away, while Evelyn closes the door. She began to shake. Another second passed and, all of a sudden, a lamp is thrown at the window, smashing the glass.

"What is wrong with me?!" Evelyn yelled at herself. "I never wanted to cause harm, so why am I acting like this?! Blowing up a building filled with people?! Trying to kill someone?! You've gone low, Fire Ranger!"

She falls back and lies down on the bed, mentally scolding herself. She picks up her helmet and looks at her reflection on it.

"Who am I?"

 **I have a busy week, so the next chapter will have to wait.**


	28. Power of the Mind

**Hope you're still interested in the story, because here's the new chapter. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

Midnight has past and all of Auradon is still fast asleep, except for certain people. In the forest just outside the kingdom of Aurora and Philip, ten teenagers are running as fast as they can, jumping over logs and rocks and ducking under low branches. It didn't take long until they finally stopped to rest. The reason for their unexpected run into the woods is because Evelyn's knights have attacked the castle, so they had to flee.

"Think we're far enough?" questioned Jane.

"I hope were are," replied Mal.

"Let's just hope mom and dad keep them busy," said Audrey. "I hate leaving them."

"Don't worry, Audrey," said Jay. "Evelyn maybe cold-hearted, but her soldiers are just ordinary people. They won't hurt your parents."

"The worst they can do is take them prisoner," said Carlos.

"Carlos!" yelled Mal, Evie, and Jay.

Carlos just shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Relax, Audrey. Mom and dad will be safe," said Mal, putting her hand on her stepsister's shoulder.

"It's strange hearing you call them that," said Audrey.

"Don't forget. My parents are still there as well," added Ben.

"The best we can do is hope they'll be left alone," said Mal.

"It's a good thing you stayed up all night," said Evie to Mal. "We would've been prisoners if it wasn't for you."

"I guess my 'unhealthy habit' has its benefits, after all," said Mal, looking at Ben.

"Now, what are we gonna do?" asked Chad.

"How 'bout we go back to sleep?" said Evie, rubbing her eye, tired. "I need my beauty rest."

"Same egocentric Evie," said Mal.

"Is that an insult or a compliment?" asked Evie.

"Both," answered Mal.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," said Evie.

"When the sun rises, what are we going to do?" asked Lonnie. "Plan an attack?"

"It's not simple, Lonnie," said Mal.

"Evelyn has a hundred soldiers at her disposal and, obviously, she's a whiz with magic," said Evie.

"I know, but you can't expect us to keep running for days," said Lonnie.

"At least Evelyn hasn't put our faces on wanted posters," said Carlos, trying to lighten the mood.

"Carlos!" yelled Mal, Evie, and Jay, again.

"Honestly, you guys are making me wish I was lying down in a coffin," joked Carlos.

"That can be arranged," said Mal, putting her hand behind Carlos' head.

The two engaged in a stare-off, which ends with the two of them laughing.

"Never thought I'd see the day someone gets Mal's sense of humor." Ben whispered to Evie.

"I heard that," said Mal, startling Ben.

* * *

Later, the teenagers all went back to sleep, using the grass as a bed. Mal, however, couldn't keep her eyes closed with her mother constantly talking to her in her head. Mal wakes up and leaves her friends. She finds a spot far away from anyone's hearing range.

"Do you ever stop, mother?" complained Mal.

"We're not finished talking," said Maleficent.

"I get it. You want me to kill Evelyn," interrupted Mal. "Well, it's not happening. Never."

"You think you can just stop her by trying to be all friendly with her?" questioned Maleficent.

"I can try," said Mal. "Sure, maybe she's going to be in a world of pain when I see her again, but in the end, I'm gonna try to help her."

"I've been watching the whole thing, and from what I can see, she'll never stop," said Maleficent.

"You don't know her like I do," said Mal.

"That was just one day," reminded Maleficent.

"It may have been one day, but I can tell what kind of person she is," said Mal. "She's a spirited young woman who was just suffering from a loss. Maybe she has gone down the path of a villain, but the fact that she's doing this because of her love for her parents proves she's not lost."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," said Maleficent, seemingly acting innocent.

Mal suspected something, but she just turned her back on her mother.

"I can't keep this up," she said. "I can't focus if you're going to keep talking in my head."

"I've said it already, Mal. You can't get rid of me," said Maleficent. "I'm with you for all eternity."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," retorted Mal.

Mal takes out her spellbook and goes through page after page, looking for something specific. She stops when she found it. The nonexistent Maleficent peers over Mal's shoulder to take a peek at what her daughter found.

"'Journey to the Mind'?" questioned Maleficent, confused.

"It's worth a shot," said Mal.

"Why would you want me out, Mal?" questioned Maleficent. "I'm your mother."

"You're not my..." Mal face-palms herself and sighs. "Never mind. I'm doing this and you can't stop me."

"What about your friends?" pointed out Maleficent. "If they find your body lying around, what will they think?"

"I'll be finished before they wake up," said Mal.

"And what if you don't make it?" added Maleficent.

"I'll make it," said Mal. "I've survived countless fights against you. I literally went back in time. I managed to survive my own sacrifice and remain standing in this world. Even if I run through some trouble in this journey, I'll make it."

"I may just be an imaginary being, but let me tell you this," said Maleficent. "Without me, you'll never find out the truth."

"The truth about what?" asked Mal.

Maleficent didn't respond. She just disappeared, awaiting Mal's journey to her own mind.

* * *

Mal begins preparing for her journey, following the directions on her spellbook. She draws a big circle around the dirt, using her magic. She lights up her finger with a small light and touches the circle.

" _With these words, I cast my spell. My journey shall begin with the ring of a bell. With the power of the mind, I shall reach the depths of a field of a new kind."_

Mal's spell causes the circle to glow, enchanting it. When the glowing stopped, Mal stood up and stood back. She was about to step into the circle, but she hesitated. She returns to her friends and looks at Ben, still asleep.

She walks towards him and kneels down.

"I'll be back soon, Ben. I love you."

Mal leans down and kisses her sleeping boyfriend. After she parts her lips from his, she smiles and slowly walks away. She returns to her circle and calmly steps inside it. She sits down in the middle and poofs up a hand-held bell. She rings it and she falls asleep.

* * *

The purple-haired sorceress wakes up, but she woke up somewhere different. She sees herself in a grass field on a bright, sunny day. She gets up and started walking. She finds a lake. She looks at her reflection. She kneels down and touches the lake with one finger. All of a sudden, her reflection changes. What she can see is herself wearing the purple dress she wore on her first date with Ben.

When she looked at herself, she saw herself in the exact same dress.

"It worked. This is my mind."

She takes a look around. She was absolutely astonished. Although, she was a little bothered by the beautiful, sunny background. She knows that it's her mind, so, with the snap of a finger, she adds some rain clouds, making thundering noises.

"That's more like it."

Mal looks at herself again. She changes back into her clothes from the Isle of the Lost.

"Much better. Now, get ready mother. I'm coming for you."

Mal started walking down the hill towards the kingdom of Auradon, or, to be specific, the kingdom of Auradon in her mind. She knows she doesn't have a lot of time. While she can stay unconscious and travel her own mind for a long time, she knows that her friends will be waking up once the sun rises. She didn't want anyone to know about her mother's blood in her veins, so she aims to finish her mission quickly and focus on the real threat: Evelyn.

 **Looks like the story has taken a new twist. I hope you're interested. It's about to get even more interesting.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	29. Look Into Your Own Mind

**I hope you understood what happened in the previous chapter. There's more still coming. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

After successfully shutting down her entire body, Mal has entered her own mind and aims to get rid of her mother once and for all. Mal arrives at Castle Beast and simply opens the door. She takes a look around and sees that nothing is different. She decided not to fool around with the interior, even if it was her own mind. She arrived at the throne room and saw no one.

"Empty," she said to herself. "This is my mind, right? Where would Ben be if he isn't here getting comfy on his throne?"

Mal snaps her fingers and teleports to the Enchanted Lake, where she sees Ben standing under the pavilion, staring at the beautiful lake. She walks across the bridge and stops under the pavilion.

"Just where I thought you'd be," said Mal.

"Well, it is your mind," said Ben. "If you wanted to see me at the castle, you could've just moved me there."

Mal smiled, intrigued that the man before her is self-aware of being simply a part of her mind.

"So, any reason you're taking this journey?" asked Ben.

"My mother," answered Mal. "I need to get her out of my mind or she'll never stop talking to me."

"Any reason why you're keeping this a secret from us?" asked Ben.

"I don't have to explain myself," said Mal. "You're not the real Ben."

"True," said Ben. "Anything I can do to help?"

"I know how my mind works, but I don't know how all this works," said Mal. "I read my spellbook. All it says is how to enact the spell and what will happen. It doesn't say anything else."

"I'm not a magical expert," said Ben. "Why would you assume I know anything?"

Mal smirked. "You're a terrible liar, Ben."

"Okay, you got me," said Ben, dropping the innocent act. "Pretty much everyone in here knows how the mind works. You can ask anyone where to go and they'll know the answer."

"Where can I find my mother?" asked Mal.

"She shares your mind, right?" asked Ben.

Mal nodded.

"This has never happened before, but I think the best way to find your mother is to know how she thinks," said Ben.

Mal turns around and puts her finger on her chin, thinking.

"She wants world domination, but she wasn't sitting in your throne. She dominated half my mind so there's no way she would want to be in the Isle of the Lost," said Mal. "So, that would mean that maybe... she's... back to where she came from. The Moors."

"The Moors no longer exist since Fairy God Mother turned it into a paradise for all woodland creatures," said Ben. "But since she controls half your mind, it's possible she recreated it."

"Where can I find the Moors?" asked Mal.

"I don't know," said Ben. "You'll have to find out yourself."

"Well, wish me luck," said Mal.

"Good luck," replied Ben.

"Thank you," said Mal.

Mal started to walk away.

"Wait, don't you want me to come with you?" asked Ben.

"No," said Mal. "I'm just gonna take a guess here, but if mother destroys you, will you be removed from my memory?"

"Smart," complimented Ben. "Well, I have faith in you. You can do this."

Mal smiled. "I know you're not real, but..."

Mal walks back to Ben and puts her lips on his. After she ceased, she immediately walks away.

* * *

Mal decided to look for her friends. After stopping to think, she figures the first place she needs to look for Evie is the royal gardens. When she returned to the castle and arrived at the garden, she found Evie and Carlos having a kissing session. The smirk on her face tells that she knew she would also find Carlos there.

"Did I come at a bad time?" she said.

Evie and Carlos stopped kissing and saw Mal.

"You guys know you're not real, right?" said Mal.

"Does it matter?" replied Evie.

"The world in your mind is based on your life," said Carlos. "If you didn't know about our relationship, the two of us wouldn't be here."

"Where's Jay?" asked Mal.

"In his room," answered Carlos.

"Give me a second," said Mal.

Mal disappears. A few seconds later, she magically returns with Jay by her side.

"That was fast," said Evie.

"Can anyone explain why she just pulled out of my room?" asked Jay.

"Frankly, she needs our help," guessed Carlos.

"Well, I'm your friend," said Jay to Mal. "What do you need?"

"Do you guys know where the Moors are?" asked Mal.

"Your mother's old home? It's just outside Sleeping Beauty's kingdom," answered Carlos. "Why?"

"I need to destroy my mother. Again," answered Mal.

"She's alive?" asked Evie.

"No time to explain," said Mal. "Let's just say as long as she's alive in my head, I can't focus on our mission."

"Worried she'll make you kill Evelyn?" guessed Evie.

"Not really," said Mal. "She just won't stop talking."

"Do we get a word on this?" asked Evie, hoping to change Mal's mind.

"No," said Mal. "She's my mother and if anyone is to determine her fate, it's me."

"Well, let's get this party started," declared Evie.

"Off to the Moors," added Jay.

* * *

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos began walking to the Moors. The reason Mal chose not to just poof them there is because she wanted the "mental" exercise. When the narcissist, ex-thief, and tech prodigy start to get tired, they decided to take a break.

"Aren't you in hurry?" Jay asked Mal. "Wouldn't it be easier to just magic your way to the Moors?"

"It's only been less than an hour," said Mal. "I've got five to six hours until all of you wake up. I can take the wait."

"Your mother shares your mind," reminded Evie. "She knows what you're doing, and she might try to stop you."

"Let her try," said Mal. "I can take whatever she can throw at me."

"This is a battle for your own mind," pointed out Carlos. "Maleficent is all-powerful. Well, she's maybe a little over the top because of the Isle, but she's still powerful."

"My mom lost half of her sanity. How can a mind like that match against mine?" said Mal, feeling confident.

"Sometimes, I can't tell the difference between being brave and being cocky," said Jay.

"I'm being optimistic," said Mal. "Just like my blue friend over here."

Evie smiled.

"Still feels weird talking to you guys," said Mal. "You're not real."

"We're not, but we're real in your mind," said Evie. "Don't hesitate to treat us as if we are real. We don't mind."

"I did kiss Ben," mentioned Mal.

"And you didn't invite him why?" asked Jay.

"If anyone I know is destroyed in my mind, they'll be gone from my memory," said Mal.

"I understand," said Carlos, knowing what it's like to forget someone he cares about.

"Since you guys are so worried, fine," said Mal.

Mal waves her hands and teleports herself and her friends to the Moors. The four teenagers took the time to look at the wall of thorns separating the magical forest from the rest of the world.

"If it were real, I'd be even more wowed," said Mal.

"I'm glad this won't be in our real memories," said Carlos.

"Shall we?" asked Evie, still staring at the thorns.

"Knowing my mother, she'll keep any magic that's not hers from penetrating the walls," said Mal. "The best we can do now is just lure her out."

"How?" asked Carlos.

"I think it's obvious," said Mal. "What do we do every time you do or say something stupid?"

"Yell," guessed Carlos.

"Exactly," responded Mal. "Stand back."

Evie, Jay, and Carlos did as she said. Mal takes a few steps forward.

"Mother!" she yelled.

Crows started flying away, startled by Mal's yell. A few seconds later, the thorns started to split. Coming out of the Moors is an army of anthropomorphic trees with wooden spears riding creatures that look like warthogs.

"We're toasted," muttered Carlos.

"Carlos!" yelled Mal, Evie, and Jay.

"What's the matter, mother? Afraid to face me yourself?" taunted Mal.

The trees and the warthogs stopped walking. Green smoke comes out of the Moors, covering the entire area. When the smoke cleared, Maleficent appeared.

"I may not be what I used to be, but I have not lost my fearlessness," said Maleficent.

"How 'bout one more round, mother? Just like old times?" suggested Mal.

"Oh no, not yet," said Maleficent. "First, you must pass a test."

"What test?" asked Mal.

Maleficent magically creates a map and gives it to Mal. She tells her daughter, "Follow the map. When you reach the X, you'll know what to do."

"You're stalling," accused Mal.

"No," denied Maleficent. "I just want you to find out the truth."

"What happens if I don't take this test?" asked Mal.

"Then you'll never get into the Moors," said Maleficent. "If you want to destroy me, you have to get into the Moors, and you can't get into the Moors if I don't lift the magic keeping you out. I'll lift it if you take this test."

Maleficent walks back to the Moors with her army and the thorns once again shield the magical forest.

"What is this 'truth' she wants you to find out?" asked Jay.

"I don't know," said Mal honestly. "But I have no choice. I have to take this test."

Mal unrolls the map and looks at it carefully. The map leads to three different locations: Sleeping Beauty's castle, the warehouse owned by the Order of the White Fire, and the Isle of the Lost.

"You guys go home," said Mal.

"No way," said Evie. "I know we're not real, but we're helping you."

"Read this," said Mal, showing Evie the map. On the lower-right corner, a message is written. It says: _"Go alone or else."_

"Well, good luck," said Evie.

Mal bids her friends farewell and sets off to start the test. She doesn't care what her mother's intentions are. All she cares about is finishing this quest and facing off her mother for the last time.

 **Still interested? I hope so. Please wait for the next chapter.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	30. A Test Like No Other

**I hope the recent chapters haven't confused you. I don't want anyone's heads spinning. Anyways, enjoy the new chapter.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**

Deep within the subconscious of a purple-haired sorceress, the aforementioned has arrived at Sleeping Beauty's castle. However, when she entered through the door, she walked into an invisible portal. When she reached the other side, what she saw wasn't the grand foyer, but a black room filled with bubbles. She takes a closer look and saw moving images on them. She catches a bubble and looks into it. It showed her the day she and Evie robbed Captain Hook's house. She smiled. It was, after all, the day Carlos tricked them into working together so they can finally be friends.

Mal lets go of the bubble and continues walking. She looks at the map again. The picture of Sleeping Beauty's castle started to glow. Mal pokes it and the map reveals a message. It says:

 _"A memory is like a treasure you choose to set, though one you wish you could forget."_

Mal was confused. She mentally reads the message over and over again.

"Okay, okay. Think, Mal. 'One you wish you could forget'. My guess is that I have to find the memory I want to forget the most. But which one is it?"

Mal looks at all the bubbles, trying to find a memory she wants to forget. She found the memory of the time she took the life of Sofia the First. She holds the bubble in her hands, but nothing happened. She keeps on looking. The next memory she touched is the time Audrey found out about her stuffed dragon. Nothing happened. She found a few more memories she thinks she wants to forget, but nothing happened.

Mal was beginning to lose her patience.

"I wish the answer would just show up in front of my face."

As if the universe was granting her wish, a bubble floats her way and stops in front of her face. Mal looks into it. It was her first memory. She was just born and she was looking at her mother with her own eyes. Mal was surprised that this is the memory she wishes to forget. Wondering why, she knew it was because she wished she wasn't Maleficent's daughter. Mal frowned at this realization. She slowly reaches for the bubble and holds it in her hand.

The bubble started to glow. The bubble flies away from her hand and leaves a small piece of bronze in her hand. Mal takes a good look at it. She can tell it's a fragment of something broken. She's guessing that her mom is expecting her to fix something. She doesn't care what. If this is what she has to do, then she will do it, no matter what.

Mal turns back and exits her memory plane. She looks at the map again to remember her next destination.

* * *

Instead of walking, Mal just teleports herself to the warehouse. The sight of the place just made her think about the day she first saw the face underneath the helmet of the Fire Ranger. She shakes the thought out of her head and proceeds inside. It was empty. She found a scroll lying in the middle of the floor. She picks it up and reads the message.

 _"When you cross a dangerous threshold, many believe what keeps you safe is gold."_

Mal rips the scroll in half and continues walking. Using the power of her mind, she can see what every crate in the warehouse contains, but there was not one piece of gold. Suddenly, she heard a voice echo.

"Woo-hoo!"

Swinging down from a rope above is Katherine, or, to be specific, the Katherine in her head.

"Hey, Mal," she greeted.

"Well, what do you know? Just the pirate I needed to see," said Mal, acting formal.

"You seek the gold bracelet," said Katie, showing the accessory on her wrist.

"You know you're not real, so there's no point resisting," said Mal. "Just hand it over."

"If you want it, come and get it." Katie grabs the rope and swings to the other side of the warehouse.

Mal poofs her way to Katie's direction. Katie lands one a platform and dares Mal to come get her. Mal was about to run her way, but when she was about to take the stairs, she collided with an invisible magical wall. She clutches her nose and saw the look on Katie's face, amused by her pain.

"The only way you're getting to me is if you defeat my friends," said Katie.

Suddenly, the doors shut. The warehouse was in darkness. Mal felt her wrist pulled back, but she felt no one touch her. She looked down and saw a shadow. One of Fernando's shadows. Another shadow grabs her shadow's other arm.

"This is my mind. You guys don't have a chance," said Mal.

Mal makes the shadows disappear and magically moves Fernando to her. Before Mal can deliver a blow, Fernando uses the little motion in his strength to cast a spell, which unleashes a dozen shadows on Mal, subduing her. Fernando is freed and his shadows hold Mal down to the floor.

"Don't have a chance, you say?" mocked Fernando.

"You guys are powerful even in my own mind. Well, I love a little challenge," said Mal.

Mal manages to light up some fire, scaring away the shadows. Mal surrounds herself and Fernando with a ring of fire. Mal commands Fernando's wand to her hand and knocks out the son of Dr. Facilier with a magical blast. Mal extinguishes the fire around her.

"Alright, who's next?" questioned Mal, eager for another fight.

Out of nowhere, a dagger lands next to her feet.

"Garth," guessed Mal.

"Just wanted you to know," said Garth.

Garth throws another dagger, but Mal catches it before it hits her face. Mal throws it at Garth, but he dodges it.

"You do realize I'd be dead if that hit me," said Garth.

"I don't think I mind if I forget you, or any of you," said Mal.

Mal run towards Garth just as he pulls out another dagger. Mal dodges Garth's strikes, then delivers a critical blow across his face. She kicks him in the face, then hits him in the stomach with her knee. Garth clutches his gut and collapses.

"Too bad this won't be stuck in your memories. I'd love it if you remember the pain," said Mal.

Out of nowhere, a tentacle grabs Mal's arm. Mal turns around and saw Uri.

"And it's too bad that I'm not real," said Uri. "It's sad that I won't really treasure the memory of destroying you."

Uri uses five of her eight tentacles to tie up Mal's arms and legs. Uri puts her sixth tentacle around Mal's neck, choking her.

"Any last words?" asked Uri.

"Why did the sea goddess leave the water?" replied Mal.

Uri raises an eyebrow, confused.

"Because she's afraid of getting her hair wet," said Mal.

All of a sudden, the floor below Uri rips open and the daughter of Ursula falls into the water beneath her, courtesy of Mal's mind magic. Freed from the tentacles, Mal closes the hole to ensure Uri doesn't return. She walks back to Katie's direction. She takes the stairs and doesn't collide to an invisible wall, meaning it has disappeared.

Mal makes it to the platform Katie is standing on. Katie takes a few steps back as Mal gets closer.

"Scared?" taunted Mal.

"Just waiting for the right moment," said Katie.

Katie draws her sword.

"These sword fights are beginning to bore me," said Mal. "But I'll play along."

Mal creates a sword with her mind and the blades started to clash once again. The way the fight was going, it could go on until both are fatigued. Real or not, Katie is still a skilled swordsman. The two continue their sword fight for minutes, until both were beginning to sweat and tire. Mal remembers that she was in her own mind. She magically rejuvenates her energy.

"That's not fair," said Katie.

"Let's be honest. You'd play dirty if you wanted to," said Mal.

Mal and Katie continue sword fighting, but Mal was getting the upper hand because she was all pumped up. The two catch each other in a lock, budging as hard as they can. With neither being able to overpower the other, Katie kicks Mal away and strikes the sorceress' sword, knocking it out of her hands. Katie points her sword at Mal's throat, trying to force her to stand down.

"Your mother was a fool to think you can pass this test," said Katie.

"I think she's counting on me to pass it," said Mal.

Unexpectedly, Mal breaths fire from her mouth and incinerates the sword, turning it into ashes. Mal gives Katie a simple kick to the face and takes the gold bracelet. Mal saw a bronze piece attached to it. She rips it off and throws away the bracelet, knowing the piece is what she needs. She takes out the other piece and joins it with the one she just found. They fit, but it was still incomplete.

Mal takes out her map to check her next destination.

* * *

Mal teleports herself to the edge of Auradon, where she faces the Isle of the Lost. It was still surrounded by a barrier. Knowing the power she has in her mind, she just snaps her fingers and activates the magical bridge, as well as opening a small hole in the barrier so she can walk in. Arriving at the Isle of the Lost, Mal can see everyone just going on with their usual business. Mal looks at her map again. The drawing of the Isle was glowing. Mal pokes it and it reveals a door. It had her signature graffiti on it.

"It better at home."

Mal teleports to Bargain Castle, hoping the door would be there. She checked every door, but none had her graffiti on it.

"Calm down, Mal. You've faced worse challenges." Mal takes a deep breath. "Okay, now remember, this is your mind. When I wished for the answer at the memory room to show up in my face, it did. So, maybe..."

Mal closes her eyes and concentrates. She sensed three magical hidden doors in the castle, all of them with her signature graffiti painted on them. She checks the first door, but noticed that the purple fire was painted wrong. She checked the second door, but the silhouette of her mother was not accurate. She checks the third door and it was exactly identical to her work. She twists the door knob and opens the door. She only saw black. Instead of questioning or stepping back, Mal just walks inside.

Seconds has passed and it was still all black. Mal lights up a little fire, but all she can see is black. All of sudden, she started to fall. She manages to stop her fall by making her float in the air. She descends slowly until she felt the ground. Another unexpected moment happened. Torches everywhere started to light up, revealing that she was in a cave, possibly underground.

"All right, mom. Light the way," she said sarcastically.

Mal continues walking, until she found a pedestal with the last piece to complete the bronze object. She slowly walks towards, expecting a trap. She slowly reaches for it, but in the end, she grabbed it without triggering any kind of trap. She attaches the last piece. When she did, a force was suddenly pulling her someplace else. She reached a gate that had a small hole in it. Mal knew that she has to place the bronze in the hole. When she did, the gate started glowing. The lights were clearly forming a shape. When the symbol was finally lit up, Mal gasped, recognizing the symbol. It was the symbol of the Order of the White Fire.

The gate opened and when Mal stepped inside, she saw "her." It was Evelyn, wearing her Fire Ranger armor, minus the helmet.

"Hey there, Mal," greeted Evelyn.

"What is going on here, Evelyn?" asked Mal, demanding an answer.

"Haven't you figured it out? I'm your final test," said Evelyn.

"She's trying to force me to have the strength to kill you," said Mal. "She just wants me to end this war her way."

"Not even close," said Evelyn. "Besides, if you kill me, you'll destroy your memory of me."

Evelyn charges towards Mal and another fight ensues. Before the fight could last for a while, Mal magically glues Evelyn to the wall.

"Alright, bucket-head, I want answers. What is the meaning behind this test?" asked Mal.

"Sorry, Mal, but my lips are sealed," said Evelyn.

Evelyn frees herself from Mal's spell with her own magic and the fist fight continues. Evelyn's ferocity and strength give her the upper hand, until Mal dodges a punch and knocks down Evelyn with a magic blast. Evelyn stands up and ignites her fist.

"Hey, that's my thing," said Mal.

"Maybe that's why I'm doing it," said Evelyn in a smug tone. "If you knew what the real Evelyn was capable of, I'd be an even deadlier match here in your mind."

Evelyn takes a swing at Mal, but she keeps on dodging and stepping back. Mal noticed that she was being lured to a corner, so she lights up her hand with dark magic and strikes Evelyn straight to the chest, knocking her down again. Evelyn struggles to get up, weakened. Mal grabs Evelyn by the neck and holds her up.

"Talk!" yelled Mal. "Why are your part of my mom's test?"

"That's something you'll have to find out yourself," said Evelyn.

Mal stares at Evelyn in the eye, but for some reason, she stops and lets her go. Evelyn tried to recover from the choke, while Mal turns her back on her. Evelyn was about to attack again, but Mal reacts and glues Evelyn to the wall again. Mal uses her mind powers and chains Evelyn to the wall like a prisoner. She turns around and walks out.

"You can't walk away from this, Mal," said Evelyn. "You will see the truth. You will!"

* * *

Mal returns to the Moors, only to see her friends chilling out under a tree nearby.

"What are you guys doing here?" asked Mal. "I thought I told you that I'm dealing with this myself."

Evie stands up. "Mal, forget the fact that we're just copies in your own mind. We want to help you. Real or not, we're your friends and we're there with you until the end."

Carlos stands up. "In the end, you'll be thankful."

Jay stands up. "Besides, have your ever accomplished anything without us?"

"I can honestly say that I haven't," said Mal. "At least not the big stuff."

Mal faces the wall of thorns once again. Unexpectedly, they opened up.

"Looks like we're invited," quipped Carlos.

Mal smiled, actually amused by Carlos' joke. She and her friends begin walking into the Moors. They were greeted by glaring tree monsters and growling warthogs. Carlos felt scared, so he takes hold of Evie's arm. The latter just smiled and put her hand on his. The four ex-villains keep on walking until they reached Maleficent's throne.

"Look who's back," said the villainess. "Congratulations, Mal. You passed the test."

"And now it's time to knock you off your throne," said Mal, getting in her fighting stance.

"Must we always fight?" asked Maleficent in a playful tone.

Maleficent holds her scepter in the air and summons her army, surrounding the four misfits.

"Um, Mal. Plan?" asked Carlos, scared.

"Stay alive," answered Mal.

"Good plan," replied Carlos.

 **I'm afraid I'm gonna have to stop here. I have to admit. I'm not really proud of how I wrote this chapter, but I really hope you like it.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	31. Get Out Of My Head

**Here's the new chapter. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

In the enchanted forest known as the Moors, inside the mind of Mal, a battle is undergoing. Evie, Jay, and Carlos are trying to evade the tree monsters, while Mal faces off against her mother in another battle, which she hopes will be their last one. Evie and Jay just keep on running, but Carlos, on the other hand, hides from the battle by climbing a tall tree.

Evie and Jay ran so far away that the entire army was lured away from Mal and Maleficent.

"So, Mal, how does it feel?" started Maleficent. "How does the truth feel?"

"I don't care," said Mal. "Right now, all I care about is getting you out of my head."

"Funny. I had the same though," replied Maleficent.

Magic blasts and fireballs just rain on the battlefield as neither mother nor daughter could overpower the other.

"I'm sort of proud of you, Mal," said Maleficent. "You've turned yourself into a living weapon of destruction so powerful that you can match me."

"Not just match you, but beat you, like, more than once," added Mal.

"But this fight is different," said Maleficent. "In here, we can manipulate almost everything."

Putting her words into action, Maleficent uses her powers to create wolf-looking monsters out of the earth. The rock wolves charge at Mal, but she was able to easily wipe them out by using her mind to trap them within the earth.

"7 out of 10," responded Maleficent. "I expected something a little more destructive."

"You want destructive? I'll give you destructive," said Mal.

Mal stomps on the ground and creates a volcanic crater in between her and her mother. It incinerates most of the trees surrounding them.

"10 out of 10," said Maleficent.

"That's not even the worst I can do," said Mal.

Mal lights up her fist with magic and slams it on the ground, causing the ground the rumble. Unbeknownst to her, the quaking caused Carlos to fall down the tree. His crash caught the attention of the tree army. He started running as they started chasing him. However, he is tripped by a suddenly moving tree root. When he looks up, the tree he tripped on turned out to be alive. The rest of the army caught up and had Carlos at spear point.

Meanwhile, Evie was still running. She begins to tire so she takes a turn and rests next to a tree. She heard panting on the other side. It was Jay.

"Just passing by?" quipped Evie.

"A bunch of walking trees riding giant pigs are chasing me." Jay joked back. "What about you?"

"The same," replied Evie.

The two heard suddenly heard a. They recognized who it belongs to.

"Carlos," they said simultaneously.

* * *

Back at Maleficent's throne, Mal had a flaming sword in her hand and she was repeatedly attempting to strike her mother, who was shielding herself with her scepter. Mal couldn't slice the scepter, but she could overwhelm her mother. Maleficent steps back as Mal continues striking. However, Maleficent finds herself cornered in her own throne. Mal knocks the scepter off her mother's hands and points the scepter at her throat.

"I hate to do this again, mother, but the world doesn't need you around anymore," said Mal.

"How 'bout we settle this in a simple way? Put down the sword," suggested Maleficent.

"Why?" asked Mal.

"Look behind you," said Maleficent.

"And give you a chance to hit me from behind? I don't think so," responded Mal.

"Mal!" called out a familiar voice.

Mal turns around and saw Carlos, held hostage by her mother's tree army. Mal looks back at her mother. Maleficent smirks and looks at her army. The trees pointed their spears at Carlos. Mal makes her sword disappear. The trees point their spears away from Carlos. Maleficent gets back on her feet, just as Evie and Jay showed up.

"Looks like the tides have changed," said Maleficent. "Now, Mal. Just say the 's' word you hate so much or me and my army will permanently erase your snowy-haired friend from your mind. Oh, just imagine. When you wake up and look at him, you will say, 'Who are you?' Can you imagine how hurt he will be?"

Mal looks at Carlos. He was not the real Carlos, but he is her memory of him. Just thinking of forgetting him, forgetting anyone she cared, made her sink.

"I surrender," said Mal.

The trees throw Carlos towards Mal. Evie and Jay quickly tend to their friends.

"Now what, mother?" asked Mal. "I'm stepping down, just like you want. What's next?"

"I did say I wanted out of your mind," reminded Maleficent. "It's all I've been planning since you started this journey."

"You've lost your mind, but you still think big," complimented Mal. "How do you plan on getting out of here? We're equally powerful here. I can keep you trapped in here just by thinking."

"You make one move on me and my tree friends will give your friends a not-at-all soothing massage," said Maleficent.

"I did say I surrender, but you can't keep me from using my mind," said Mal.

"That sharp mind of yours is exactly what I need," said Maleficent.

Maleficent puts her hand on Mal's forehead, casting a spell. Mal remains immobile as her mother works her magic through her head. Suddenly, a portal comes out of nowhere. Maleficent takes her hand off Mal's head and the young sorceress collapses to the ground, feeling weak.

"There's my ticket out of here," quipped Maleficent. She looks aback at her daughter. "Feel free to follow. Our little Fire Ranger would be happy to see you."

Maleficent walks through the portal and vanishes. The tree army turns back into actual trees, due to the fact that Maleficent is no longer in Mal's mind. The warthogs become ashes. The Moors are slowly being swept away by the wind. Basically, everything Maleficent created in Mal's mind is beginning to fade away. Mal and her friends just stood as they watched everything around them becomes blur.

"She did it. She's out of your head. Literally," said Carlos.

"Don't need to point out the obvious, snowflake. I know what's happening," said Mal.

"You have to go," said Evie.

"I failed," muttered Mal.

"No, you didn't," said Jay. "Okay, so you couldn't destroy your mother here, but you never give up. Now go."

"Evelyn has already caused a lot of damage, and I respond by handing Auradn a plateful of doom. The name of that doom is mother," Mal continued to mutter to herself.

Evie puts her hands on both Mal's shoulders. "Mal, when my actions led to your mom's return, I didn't blame myself. You know what I did? I just focused on what's important. Stopping her."

"Evie, Auradon has become a war zone," said Mal. "We brought the Mistress of Evil back to from a life as a reptile. We created the Fire Ranger. I don't know if I should wake up."

"What will your friends say when they see you unconscious?" responded Jay. "What will Ben say?"

"Maleficent is out there plotting to take the throne from Evelyn," said Carlos. "It's time to stop wallowing in self-pity and do something."

"You wallowed in self-pity when I killed Sofia," reminded Mal.

"Traumatizing experience," said Carlos in his defense. "Okay, you got me. I gave up. I left my friends to deal with you by themselves. But you're not me. You're you, you're Mal. You're as malicious as you are compassionate. You're as malevolent as you are benevolent. You're... well... you remember what I said about you on that day in the court house. You're good. You're bad. It's you. Use both those qualities to win the day. You always have used them. You just never knew."

"For someone who is not real, you are just as smart as a certain little boy I know at home," said Mal.

"Like I said, the world in your mind matches the world you know," said Carlos. "That little boy back home would say the same thing."

Mal looks at the portal. After hesitating, she runs towards it. The second she did...

* * *

... her body finally wakes up.

Mal tries to catch her breath as she sits up. She saw her phone on the ground. She picks it up and turns it on. Her mother had recorded a video of herself, obviously a message to Mal. Mal plays it.

 _"Is this thing on? Oh, it is. Ahem, hi there, my little girl. So, as you can see, I'm back. Again. But I would like to let you know that I won't be introducing myself to the world just yet. No. You still have a war to win. If you're thinking about going after me, that's not happening, but I will reveal myself to you... on one condition. Kill Evelyn and I will let you in on my location. If you don't, then... well... worse things are going to happen. Bye, baby girl."_

The message ends. Once again, Mal is troubled by making the right choice.

"I'm sorry, Ben, but I can't tell you. Evelyn comes first. But I can't just kill her. But if I don't..."

Mal stands up and looks at the direction where her friends are. Once again, she is intending on keeping a very important secret from her friends. All she wants to do is draw up a new battle plan in the war. With her mother now at the helm of the chessboard, she is gonna have to choose whether to be a pawn or stay out of the game.

 **Maleficent is back. Maybe that's a little disappointing, but there's a reason behind some things I write about.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	32. The Truth

**Hope you're still around. If you've read the previous chapter, I hope you're expecting more. Well, here's the new chapter. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

Mal and her friends have risen from their slumber as the sun has. They sit down in a circle to discuss their next move.

"So, once again, we're on the run," said Jay. "Evelyn's knights could be all over the kingdom. How are we going to hide?"

"Disguise ourselves, obviously," said Mal. "Just like last time."

Mal snaps her fingers and turns herself back into "Bertha." Her hair was blond, her eyes were blue, and she was wearing clothes with light colors. Mal waves her hands and begins disguising her friends, trying to make them look different. Besides clothing and accessories, changes also included Evie's raven black hair, Jay's shortened hair, Carlos' new hair-do, Ben's re-styled hair, Audrey's white hair, Chad's new face, Lonnie's shortened, styled hair, Jane's new make-up and hair-do, and Doug's face free of glasses.

"White? Seriously? I look like an old hag," complained Audrey.

"Relax, sister. I'll change it back when we get back to the castle," said Mal.

"I thought I told you not to mess with my hair," said Carlos.

"Sorry," said Mal. "Just try to get used to it for the moment."

"Um, Mal, how is removing my glasses going to make me look different?" asked Doug.

"Hey, I couldn't recognize you the first time I saw you without them," said Mal. "I'm sure no one will."

"Okay, but I can't see without my glasses," said Doug.

"E, take care of him," ordered Mal.

"No problem," replied Evie, accepting the job.

"Oh, and I almost forgot one more thing," said Mal.

Mal waves her fingers and puts engagement rings on Evie and Carlos' fingers.

"Uh... Mal... is this necessary?" questioned Evie.

"Just enjoy it, you two," said Mal.

"You're making them pretend to be engaged?" guessed Jay. "That's weird."

Mal just laughed at herself.

"So, who wants breakfast?" said Ben.

* * *

The teenagers go out to town and plan to dine in a restaurant, while putting their disguises to work. So far, no one has recognized them. Trying to be extra careful, they try to keep their distance from each other. Mal walks with Ben, Doug walks with Evie and Carlos, Chad walks with Lonnie, and Jay walks with Audrey and Jane. They enter the restaurant separately and sit on different tables. To stay in contact with each other, they talked through their phones, on speaker.

"So far, so good," started Evie. "Oh, and no one recognizes Doug."

"Like I said," said Mal.

A waitress approaches Evie and Carlos' table.

"Excuse me, miss. Would you and your fiancé like to order our special 'Engagement Treat'?" offered the waitress.

"Engagement?" questioned Evie, confused. She looks at the ring at her finger. "Oh, right. Um, Carlos?"

"Yes, we would," said Carlos to the waitress.

The waitress leaves.

"Very nice, you two," teased Mal through the fun.

"Hey, you put the rings on our fingers," reminded Evie. "By the way, you owe us for this."

Mal just smirked, laughing.

"After breakfast, what are we gonna do?" asked Audrey.

"Stay separated. Stay in contact. Find a place to stay for the night," said Mal.

Carlos flinched at the sound of "night."

"How long are we gonna keep running?" asked Chad. "We have to take back the kingdom before Evelyn does any more damage."

"Actually, Chad, I don't think Evelyn causing the kind of damage you would think of," said Jane.

"Why is that?" asked Chad.

"Look at the TV," said Jane.

All the teenagers looked at the large-screen TV on the wall. It was on the news channel. They can see Snow White at an orphanage, where Evelyn, dressed in casual wear, is giving away clothes, food, and school materials to the orphans. It surprises Mal and her friends to see this kind of side in Evelyn.

 _"This is Snow White at the Auradon Orphanage, where it seems that the Fire Ranger, or should I say, Evelyn, is giving away free supplies to the homeless children. Is it true that the armored entity we all feared is just a normal person wanting to do the right thing? It seems that the children are growing to love her. Only time will tell if everyone in Auradon will come to love her as well. This is Snow White, reporting live from Auradon Orphanage."_

When the news ended, the ten teenagers were speechless.

"I suppose this makes her an anti-hero," said Carlos. "She tried to kill us, but she cares about the people."

"Mal, what if the kingdom accepts Evelyn?" asked Evie. "Should we still try to stop her."

"We have to stop her now," said Chad.

"I agree with Chad," said Lonnie. "We have to show her true colors before she becomes loved by everyone."

"Lonnie, you should know better. We have to use our heads, not our fists," said Mal. "I know you love a good fight, but fighting Evelyn head-on and hoping we get lucky is not the way to end this."

The waitress returns to Evie and Carlos' table, with a fellow waiter with a camera.

"You don't mind if we take a picture, do you?" asked the waitress. "You can keep it as a memory."

"I think I'll wait," said Doug, leaving the table so Evie and Carlos can have a picture with just the two of them.

Evie sits with Carlos and the two smile for the camera. The waiter takes the picture.

"We'll have the photo ready in a few," said the waitress, leaving with the waiter.

Evie sits back on her chair as Doug returns.

"Awkward," said Jay.

"We're aware," said Evie. "Remember, Mal, you owe us."

* * *

After breakfast, Jay, Carlos, and the Auradon kids head to the mall to shop for supplies, while Mal decided to spend time at the park. Evie was gonna accompany the hero kids, but after seeing a downhearted look on Mal's face, she follows her. When she arrives at the park, she found her best friend standing on the bridge, staring at the lake below her. She casually walks on the bridge and stands next to her, not caring if she didn't want any company.

"Talk to me," started Evie.

"I don't know what to do," said Mal. "I tried reasoning with her, but it's no use."

"She's blinded by her thirst for vengeance," said Evie. "I'm sure you would know how that feels."

Mal looks at Evie. "Yeah, I do."

"Evelyn sure is a lot like you. When it comes to getting what she wants, no one can stop her," said Evie.

"I've noticed," said Mal, continuing to stare at the lake.

"Mal, what if you can't save her?" wondered Evie. "What if you have to..."

Mal knew what Evie was thinking. "No, I can't do that. Why would you even suggest that?"

"I know that sounds dark of me, but..." Evie paused. "... She's caused a lot of damage. She may be a good person, but obviously, she's lost. There's no bringing her back to whoever she once was."

"I can't kill her," said Mal. "Even if I wanted to, I can't."

"Why?" asked Evie. "You're always the kind of person who does what needs to be done. If all of your options are exhausted, your only choice is to do what you did to your mother."

"I just can't," said Mal.

"Then tell me. Why?" asked Evie.

"Because... Evelyn is my sister," said Mal.

Evie's eyes widened and her mouth gaped open, shocked at what she just heard. Mal looks at Evie's surprised look for a moment, smirks, then looks back at her reflection in the lake.

"Wha... h-how... I mean... how on earth is she..." stuttered Evie, not knowing what to say.

"Surprising, right? But it's the truth," said Mal.

"But your mom never mentioned you had a sister," said Evie.

"I don't why she kept it a secret, but I know what I told you is true," said Mal.

"How are you sure?" asked Evie.

"When I first sensed the magic within her, it felt familiar. When I looked into her eyes, and saw them glow green, I realized that she has the same magic I feel in myself and in my mother," said Mal.

"No wonder she's a lot like you," said Evie.

"I had the same thought," said Mal. "But the point is this is why I won't kill her. She's family."

"You killed your mother," reminded Evie.

"Because of everything she's done to me my entire life," said Mal. "When I first met Evelyn, I wanted her to be my friend. No matter what she's done recently, I still do. I saw myself in her and I thought that will help us become good friends. Unfortunately, it won't."

"You know that helping her is out the window, but you don't want to end her to end this," said Evie. "What are you gonna do then?"

"Look at her in the face and tell her the truth," said Mal.

"That you two are sisters?" asked Evie.

"That she's right," said Mal. "We may have brought the people hope, but we have also brought them trouble and death."

Evie didn't know how to respond.

Mal looks at Evie and tells her, "I know that we're not all bad, E. I know we can be good, but sometimes, our choices and actions comes with a price. We have to pay it, but not with our lives. We pay it with our hearts."

"You've really changed from the girl who was obsessed with being like her mother," said Evie, complimenting Mal's maturity.

"And so have you. It seems like yesterday, you only cared about being 'The Fairest of them all' and nothing more," said Mal.

Evie looked away, a little embarrassed.

"Why don't you go see the others?" said Mal. "I need some time alone to think."

Evie didn't argue with Mal and left. Mal continued to stare at her reflection as she thought back to her journey in her own mind. That was when she found out about the truth of who Evelyn really is. The fact that she was her sister excited her as much as it bothered her. She doesn't know yet if she can use this truth against Evelyn. One thing's for sure, she was not going to take her own sister's life just because her mother is forcing her to. She was gonna finish this crisis in her own way. By being herself.

 **Shocked? I hope you are.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	33. Deception

**If you're a fan of my OC, Evelyn, then you may like to read this. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

After visiting the orphanage, Evelyn decided to return to the field where her family's farm house was. She takes out a rose, kneels down, and places it on the ground. A tear rains down her cheek, but she wipes it off. She stands up and looks at the entire field. It brings back so many memories. The memories hurt her since her family isn't around anymore, but they were beautiful memories she can cherish forever.

Just as she was about to leave, voices came from out of nowhere.

"I have to admit. This is a nice place."

"The scenery is beautiful, even for me."

"If I grew up here, I'd play in the grass all day."

"Baby."

"No I'm not!"

"For the love of the Seven Seas, cut it out, you two!"

Evelyn takes out her sword and yells, "Who are you? Show yourself!"

Doing what the young woman said, the "Frightening Foursome" reveal themselves.

"Looking for me?" guessed Evelyn.

"We're here to settle the score," said Katherine, cracking her knuckles.

"Did you come here with a plan, or were you just going for a foolish frontal assault?" asked Evelyn.

"When dealing with someone like you, of course you need a plan," replied Katherine.

"Make one move and I'll push this," threatened Evelyn, reaching for the detonator to the bomb on the Isle.

"Put a finger on that and I'll push this," threatened Katie, taking out her phone, showing a picture of the bomb.

"W-wha... how did you get that?" asked a surprised Evelyn.

"Doesn't matter how," said Katie. "Point is if you so much as touch that detonator, we'll send this photo to the internet for the world to see. What will Auradon think about you if they found out about the bomb? Do you think they'll still love you?"

Evelyn moves her hand away from the detonator and says, "What do you want? Money? The throne? A lifetime supply of sharp, pointy weapons?"

"No," said Fernando.

"Think you can make me a new dagger?" Garth asked Evelyn, intrigued by the weapons offer.

Uri hits Garth at the back of the head.

"We want you to remove the bomb from the Isle and free our parents," said Katie.

"If you wanted to take over, you could just ask for the throne already," said Evelyn.

"We know, but beating you is not that simple. I can see that," said Katie. "You can still rule, but only until we beat you."

"Fine," said Evelyn, giving to her enemies' demands.

"But before we go..." Katie walks towards Evelyn and takes the detonator from her. "Okay, Fire Ranger, we're ready."

* * *

Evelyn teleports herself and the four villian kids to the Broken Bridge, just outside the Isle of the Lost. Evelyn takes out the remote and deactivates the barrier, while also activating the magical bridge. The five walk into the Isle, attracting some attention along the way, and stop at the middle of the island.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Deactivate it," demanded Katie.

Evelyn walks towards the oil drum. She places her hand on it, but before she can do anything, she paused.

"What do you hope to gain from this?" asked Evelyn. "Do you really need your parents to stifle your growth?"

"We may be villain kids, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't care if our parents die," said Katie.

"You villain kids are pathetic," said Evelyn.

The four villain kids looked offended from Evelyn's insult.

"I don't blame you for loving your parents, but it surprises me that you people are even capable of love," said Evelyn.

"This has nothing to do with love," said Katie.

"Our parents raised us, so we have no right to just let them die," said Garth.

"At least you have parents," said Evelyn with sorrow.

"Why? Don't you have yours? Oh, that's right. They're dead," insulted Uri.

The four villain kids started laughing at Evelyn's pain. The orphan was clearly getting aggravated. Evelyn puts both her hands on the oil drum, but instead of removing the device, she casts a spell.

"What did you do?" asked Uri.

"The device is no longer connected to the detonator," said Evelyn.

"Where is it connected to now?" asked Katie.

"Not telling you," said Evelyn with a smirk.

"I warned you," reminded Katie, about to push the "send" button on her phone.

In the blink of an eye, Evelyn commands Katie's phone to her hand and destroys it with a simple fire.

"Hey, that was brand new!" yelled Katie.

Evelyn moves Katie towards her and puts her hand on the pirate's throat, choking her.

"I'm sorry, but our deal is off," said Evelyn.

"So what? You gonna choke me to death?" asked Katie, daring her if she could.

"No," said Evelyn. "I'd rather let you live."

Evelyn releases Katie.

"Now, let me give you a warning," said Evelyn. "If you ever give me a reason to, I can just blow up this island with a single thought. The barrier may block magic from within, but I found my way around it."

"We're not letting you walk out of here," said Uri.

"You want a fight? Fine. I could use some training for my next round with Mal," replied Evelyn.

Katie tells the people watching, "Stand back, everyone. Things might get really ugly."

Uri makes the first move. She transforms into her eight-legged form and tries to wrangle up Evelyn. Evelyn dodges her tentacles and uses her fire magic to slice off one of her tentacles.

"Ow!" cried out Uri, clutching her ailing tentacle.

Garth sneaks up behind Evelyn, but before he can stab her, Evelyn turns around and knocks him down with a magic blast. Katie pushes Evelyn towards a house. Before Evelyn can recover, Katie kicks her through the door. Now in the darkness, Fernando uses this opportunity to send his shadows at Evelyn. Evelyn was subdued. Katie draws her sword and prepares to strike the final blow. When she striked Evelyn, she just disappeared into thin air. The four villain kids were confused. They heard laughing. They turned around and saw Evelyn outside.

"It's gonna take more than a sword to finish me," mocked Evelyn.

The four villain kids return outside. Evelyn sees a rope nearby and uses her magic to take it. She sets it on fire.

"Spread out!" yelled Katie.

The four villain kids surround Evelyn while keeping their distance from each other, just in case Evelyn was planning on roping them at once. Evelyn sends a wave of fire at each villain kid, causing them to run. Katie charges at Evelyn, but she ropes the sword away from the pirate's hands. The two get into a fist fight that Evelyn wins easily with rapid striking. While Katie tries to get up, Garth and Uri attack Evelyn simultaneously, but she dodges every punch they throw at her. She tops it off with a backwards flip in the air to dodge Uri's kick.

"How are you doing this?" asked a clearly amazed Uri.

"Mal taught me," said Evelyn.

Evelyn takes down Uri with a kick to the face and humiliates Garth by simply pushing towards a pile of crates. Evelyn senses Fernando's magic wand behind her, so before the magician can cast a spell, Evelyn turns around and uses her rope to tie up Fernando. She burns him for a few seconds, then lets him go, leaving him lying on the ground.

Katie finally gets up and quickly charges at Evelyn, but the sorceress turns around and knocks her down against, this time, with a magic blast.

"If you're smart, stay down," said Evelyn.

"You think killing us will make the people love you?" questioned Katie.

"The bomb is only for contingency. In case one of you try to escape, the bomb is leverage to make you second-guess yourself," said Evelyn. "How about you spare yourselves the pain and stay here with your parents? You can watch me on TV as I publicly humiliate Mal, should she choose to show herself to me."

"This isn't over, Fire Ranger. You won't win this," said Katie.

"I'm not the villain here," said Evelyn. "I'm just a girl who lost her parents."

Evelyn teleports out of the Isle and reactivates the barrier, locking up the Frightening Foursome in the island once again. As Katie gets up and holds her aching hip, she noticed something. The detonator was gone. Her eyes opened wide as she stared at the Broken Bridge.

"She lied," said Katie.

* * *

Outside the Isle, Evelyn stands on the other side of the Broken Bridge, watching as the barrier locks access to the Isle. Evelyn puts on a devious smile on her face as she looks at the detonator in her hand, having swiped it away from Katie when she poofed out of the Isle.

"Four down. Four to go," said Evelyn. "Oh, wait. Silly me. Five to go. Forgot Queen of Hearts' daughter is also here as well."

 **I hope this was good. Stay tuned for the next chapter.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	34. We Act Now

**Here it is. Chapter 34. Wow! I never thought I'd go this far. Well, enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

When you watch the sunset on the horizon, it is easy to tell that the night is coming. Anyone can find a calm state of mind in watching the sunset, especially if it's with someone they care about. However, it seems that sunsets have lost their purpose to a certain white-haired teenage boy with a unique level of intellect.

Carlos, still wearing his disguise given to him by Mal, watches the sunset from a fence on top of a hill. Since the morning, he and his friends remain separated to avoid suspicion. Carlos spent the rest of his day with Evie, both of them still pretending to be engaged, all the while they keep an eye on Doug, since he has to keep his glasses off his face to keep up his disguise. When the sunset caught his attention, he left his girlfriend and his girlfriend's former crush.

Watching the sunset made Carlos feel like his heart has been struck with fire all of over again. A sunset means nighttime is coming, and nighttime means a day is coming to a close. Given his secret situation, Carlos has no reason to smile as he just stares at the horizon for nearly an hour.

Soon enough, all of his friends found him. They spent their time just walking around the field on top of the hill, deciding to leave Carlos alone. One person, however, couldn't stand the sight of the moping young man. It wasn't Evie, however. It was Jane.

"Enjoying the sunset?" she started.

"Well, who doesn't love a beautiful sunset?" replied Carlos, trying to act calm and happy.

"Carlos, you can drop the act. We all know you're feeling down," said Jane.

Carlos just hangs his head in response.

"Evie's told us that you've been like this ever since you got back," mentioned Jane. "What's the problem?"

"I can't tell you," said Carlos.

"But you can't tell Evie either?" questioned Jane. "You love her. So, why can't you trust her with whatever you're hiding?"

"Because the fact that she loves me means that my secret will affect her the most," said Carlos. "And not in a good way."

"Then tell me," said Jane. "I'm your friend, Carlos. Let me help."

Carlos actually cracked a smile. "What happened to the girl who was too shy to do something as simple as talking to someone?"

"You and your friends changed that," said Jane. "Sure, I'm still a little edgy, but thanks to the VKs, I'm not nervous around people anymore."

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" asked Carlos.

"I promise," replied Jane.

Carlos looks at Jane for a moment, then returns to the sunset. He starts by saying, "Remember the story of Ariel?"

"Everyone knows it," responded Jane.

"Then you know about when she traded her voice for legs, but when the sun sets on the third day, she'll turn back into a mermaid," continued Carlos. "I'm sorta facing a similar situation. The Enchantress told me that if I do come back from the dead, I can only stay for seven days."

"Seven days? Wait... does that mean..." Jane paused in shock.

"Yes, today is the sixth day, which means that my final day is tomorrow," said Carlos. "When the sun sets on the seventh day, I have to make sure I return my body to my grave by then. If I don't, my soul will burn and I can't rest in peace on Mount Olympus. Either way, it means that I'll be gone for good."

Jane couldn't utter a word after what she just heard. When she finally spoke, she said, "Now I understand why you can't tell Evie."

"She'll be upset, and she won't be able to focus on the mission," said Carlos.

"Are you ever gonna tell her?" asked Jane.

"Of course, I have to, but I just don't know how," said Carlos.

"Wait? Ariel needed true love's kiss to keep her legs," mentioned Jane. "What about you? Is there any way we can save you?"

Carlos remained silent for a while. "I've told you too much already."

Without any warning, Jane just puts her arms around Carlos, hugging him as a sign of comfort. Carlos hugs her back, showing that he appreciates her concern. When the two separated, Jane just smiles and walks away, leaving Carlos to stare at the sunset once again.

"That was interesting," said a familiar voice.

Carlos turns around and saw Evie, unhappy and arms crossed.

"What's the problem?" asked Carlos.

"What was that? With Jane?" questioned Evie.

Carlos refused to speak and turns back to the sunset.

"Don't turn your back on me," said Evie. "What happened?"

Carlos sighs and confesses. "I told her my secret."

"About why you've been feeling down?" asked Evie.

"Yes," replied Carlos.

"You won't tell me, but you can tell her?" questioned Evie, seemingly accusing Carlos of something about Jane.

Carlos takes hold of both Evie's hands and says, "Evie, it's nothing like that. You know that you're the only one for me."

"Then why won't you trust me with your secrets?" questioned Evie.

Carlos hesitated to answer.

"I get it. You don't trust me," interrupted Evie.

"You know I trust you with anything," said Carlos.

"Then why can't you trust me now?" questioned Evie.

Another long pause occurred. Not knowing what to say, Carlos immediately kisses Evie, trying to lighten the mood. Evie, however, retreats after just a few seconds, not wanting to speak to the white-haired tech prodigy for revealing his secret to someone before her. She lets go of his hands and walks away from him. Carlos is left with a saddened face, thinking about what just happened.

* * *

After spending hours on the hills, Mal and her friends decided to hide in a hotel for the night, in separate rooms, of course. They reassembled in Mal and Ben's room to discuss about when they're going to break into the castle. Carlos remained in his room, still upset about what happened at the hills. He only had one day left. He wasn't gonna spend it running and moping about Evie's animosity towards him. He was going to spend his final hour helping his friends take back Auradon.

In Mal's room, the nine teenagers are still discussing their current situation, but they don't seem to be agreeing.

"Mal, I don't think going tomorrow is a good idea," said Ben.

"You don't have to say that, Ben," said Mal. "Audrey and Doug already said that."

"Don't worry, Mal. I'm on your side," said Jay.

"Why don't we put this to a vote?" suggested Evie.

The conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. Evie looks through the peephole and saw Carlos. She didn't want to see him, but it would be rude of her to just keep the door shut. She opens it and lets him inside.

"Hi," greeted Carlos.

"Hi," greeted Evie with contempt.

"So, what did I miss?" asked Carlos.

"We were just about to vote," said Mal.

"I'd rather stay out of this," said Jane.

"Fine," replied Mal. "All in favor of attacking the castle tomorrow?"

Jay, Chad, and Lonnie raised their hands.

"All opposed?" asked Mal.

Evie, Ben, Audrey, and Doug raised their hands.

"That 4-4," said Mal. "Carlos, looks like you're the deciding vote."

"I'm going with Mal," said Carlos.

Those who opposed the idea looked at Carlos, shocked at his choice.

Carlos stands in the middle and started speaking. "Guys, we can't just keep on running. The more time we waste, the more time we give Evelyn to draw the public to her side. When she finds us, she'll make the people want to throw us back to the Isle of the Lost, and with that bomb in the middle of the city, you think she'll stop there? She won't rest until villain kind is wiped out of existence. She may care about the people, but she doesn't care about us. We have act and we have to act now. No more hiding. No more playing dress-up. When the sun rises the next day, we take off these ridiculous disguises and head back to the castle. We'll pay Evelyn a visit and she'll have to pay for her lies and wrongdoings."

"And how do you propose we do that?" questioned Evie.

Carlos looks at Evie and says, "By being ourselves."

"Can you be more clear, please?" asked Mal.

Carlos continues. "Mal, you have magic, and you're good at it. You're clever. You're ruthless, well, most of the times. And you have fire in your heart. Use it." He looks at Evie. "Evie, you're more than just a pretty face. You're smart. Use that big brain of yours and think your way to victory." He looks at Jay. "Jay, you may not be a thief anymore, but you're still a master at being one. Use what you're good at to your advantage."

"And what about you?" asked Audrey.

"I'm going to be myself. I'm gonna use what I know and what I do best to save Auradon," said Carlos. "We all have to."

"Um, Carlos, think about this logically. We're outnumbered. We're going up against a woman who will not hesitate to take a life," said Doug.

"Logic doesn't win wars, Doug. We win wars by doing what needs to be done," said Carlos. "I know I'm asking a lot from you, but this has to end soon. We can't just sit around and wait while Auradon bows down to a delusional, psychopathic farm girl. I can't promise you that you'll make it out of the dust alive. I can't make any promises I can't keep. But I know that we can win this. Why? Because we fight for good. Good always triumphs over evil."

"Well, what do you guys say?" Mal asked the rest.

Those who disagreed with the idea of an assault the next day exchanged looks before nodding at Mal.

"Then let's get some shut eye," said Mal. "We need to be well-rested for a crazy day tomorrow."

Before anyone can leave, everyone heard a phone ring. It was Carlos'. He answers the call.

"Hello?" he started. "How is she?"

A few seconds later, Carlos collapsed on his knees. He hangs up the phone.

"Who was that?" asked Mal.

Carlos didn't answer. He just stands up and walks out of the room. Evie manages to catch a sight of a tear coming down from his eye. She can tell from that tear that whoever called Carlos told him something that saddened him.

 **Carlos' Sixth Day is over. His seventh day is coming soon.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	35. Day Seven

**Carlos' Seventh Day is here. Sorry it's been a while. It has been a VERY busy week (emphasis on "very"). Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

The castle that once belonged to King Ben and his parents is now in the hands of Evelyn and the Order of the White Fire. So far, half the kingdom is beginning to look past the Fire Ranger's actions against the throne and accept her, due to her friendly nature towards the citizens of Auradon, especially the orphaned children. As time passes by, the people begin to see Evelyn as an orphan who wants justice for her family's demise instead of the suited entity that almost killed Mal live on television.

Despite her growing fame, Evelyn remains focused on finishing her war against Mal. In case she and her friends attack, Evelyn has her knights guard every corner of the castle grounds. The morning crew takes their shift. Every one of them decided to socialize instead of focusing 100% on keeping an eye out for intruders. Evelyn didn't mind this, however. She knew that her knights were just normal people, not pawns in her game. They were more than just a society. They were connected. There is no harm in the knights trying to make friends with each other.

The two knights at the front door were talking while staying in their posts. Out of nowhere, a certain teenage girl with blue hair started walking towards.

"Hi, boys," she greeted casually.

"I'm a woman," said one knight, lifting her helmet to show her face.

"Sorry," replied Evie.

"What are you doing here?" asked the male knight.

"I'm here to see your boss," answered Evie.

"I don't recall the Fire Ranger telling us she had a guest," said the female knight.

"You do realize coming here alone isn't very smart," said the male knight to Evie.

"You know, not calling me smart is pretty much telling me that I'm not the fairest of them all," said Evie, continuing to act innocent.

"Uh... that's not what I meant," said the male knight.

Evie walks closer towards the male knight.

"How old are you?" Evie asked.

"Uh... 18," answered the knight.

"Then maybe you can make it up to me by taking me out on a date," said Evie in a flirtatious tone.

"Uh..." The knight was lost for words.

"Earth to Rick. She's trying to trick you," said the female knight.

"Rick? That's a cool name," said Evie.

Rick started to blush.

"This is hopeless," complained the female knight.

She was about to reach for her sword, but felt nothing attached to her hip. Her sword was gone. When she looks back at Rick, she sees her partner's lips on the narcissist's. Before she can act, she felt someone poke her in the shoulder. When she turned around, no one was there. Unknown to her, someone just swiped Rick's sword. With the female knight's back turned, Evie takes out her perfume bottle and sprays Rick in the face, causing to fall asleep. Just as Rick's partner turns back around, Evie sprayed the girl in the face, putting her to sleep.

"Was the kissing necessary?" Jay asked, holding two swords.

"Hey, Carlos said we have to be ourselves to make this plan work," reminded Evie. "Now, get in there and start stealing. I'll stay out here and deliver some science-scented justice."

"It's just sleeping perfume," said Jay. "I thought Mal makes it for you."

"On the contrary, I learned how to make sleeping perfume myself," said Evie. "All it takes is the right elements. A little bid of liquid hydrogen. An entire tube full of..."

 _"Will you two stop talking!" yelled Mal through the earpiece communicator._

"Relax, Mal. This'll be a piece of cake," said Evie.

Jay enters the castle while Evie stays outside, guarding the front door.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Auradon kids were sneaking in from the side of the castle. Using a hook attached to a rope, which Jay stole, they climbed their way to the second floor guest bedroom. Everyone made it, except for Jane. She was about to fall off, but Chad and Doug caught her and pulled her up.

"Thanks," said Jane.

"Shh." Everyone hushed at Jane.

"We have to be quiet," whispered Audrey. "We don't want Evelyn knowing we're here."

"Ben's bedroom is on the third floor," reminded Jane. "It's not even directly above us."

"Just shut up," said Chad.

Lonnie glares at Chad for his language.

Chad looks at Jane and said, "Please."

Lonnie rewards Chad with a kiss on the cheek.

"Honestly, you two dating is even stranger than Ben dating a VK," said Audrey before walking off.

Lonnie and Chad look at each other before looking back at Audrey, offended at her comment.

Audrey carefully opens the door and the Auradon Kids peek outside, seeing if there are any passing guards coming. When they saw none, they sneaked outside. They tried to make sure no one will see. Two guards were coming their way, so they hid behind the curtains. Lonnie accidentally elbows Doug in the stomach, causing the dwarf to say "ow," causing the two guards to stop walking. Ben and Lonnie held Doug still. The two guards just kept on walking.

 _"Guys," called Mal from the earpiece. "Where are you?"_

"We made it to the second floor," said Ben. "We're on our way up now."

 _"Split up," ordered Mal. "It'll save you the trouble of being caught all at once."_

"Will do," replied Ben.

"When are you gonna show up here?" Audrey asked Mal.

 _"When Carlos gives me the signal," answered Mal. "Just go."_

"What if Evelyn uses her magic on us?" asked Jane nervously.

 _"Just don't mess this up," replied Mal, feeling aggravated._

Following Mal's orders, the hero kids split up. Doug went with Ben. Lonnie went with Chad. Jane went with Audrey. After nearly getting caught a few times, they walked upstairs to the next floor. They stood outside Ben's bedroom. Chad puts his ears on the door, trying to listen if Evelyn is inside.

"What do you hear?" asked Ben.

"She's in there alright," confirmed Chad. "She's talking to someone. Probably on the phone."

"Okay, can someone tell me what we're supposed to be doing now," said Audrey.

"We wait for Carlos, then we ambush Evelyn," said Doug.

"What if she comes out before he gets here?" wondered a nervous Jane.

Suddenly, an explosion was heard downstairs, followed by a second-long shaking. Evelyn comes out of the room and walks downstairs. She didn't see the hero kids because they were hiding in the curtains again.

 _"I just heard an explosion," said Mal. "What just happened?"_

"I don't know," said Ben. "But Evelyn's out of her room."

 _"Carlos? Where are you?" asked Mal._

Downstairs, half a dozen guards are unconscious and/or glued to the ground with paint. Carlos was hiding behind the curtains. He turns on his earpiece and says, "Um, guys? Please tell me Evelyn didn't hear that."

 _"If you meant the explosion, then no, she 'did' hear it," said Audrey, putting emphasis on "did."_

 _"That was you?" asked Evie._

Carlos gulped, nervous. "Y-Yes."

 _"Carlos!" everyone, including the hero kids, yelled._

 _"How can you mess up your own plan?" questioned Jay. "I haven't even stolen the guard's keys yet."_

"Wait, stolen the keys?" questioned a confused Carlos.

 _"Apparently, you jinxed us. Evelyn's goons 'did' take Ben's parents and Audrey's parents prisoner," said Jay, emphasizing "did". "I hope it's alright if I go against the plan and rescue them first."_

 _"Sure, Jay," said Mal, approving. "Where's Evelyn?"_

 _"She's going downstairs," said Lonnie._

 _"You're dead, man." Jay said to Carlos._

 _"That won't help him." Evie said to Jay._

 _"Well, he's on his own," said Jay._

 _"Carlos, just stay hidden," said Mal. "I'm coming."_

"No, don't," said Carlos. "You can't show up until I give you the signal."

 _"She'll kill you," protested Mal._

"Good day to die," said Carlos, acting nonchalant.

 _"You are either really brave or really stupid," insulted Mal._

"I think the straight A's on my report card would beg to differ," replied Carlos.

 _"So what's the plan now, genius?" asked Mal sarcastically._

"I make her come after me," answered Carlos.

 _"That's suicide," said Mal._

"I know," said Carlos. "But I'm not running. Just stay away from the castle until I give the signal."

 _"Carlos, if you wanted to make funeral arrangements today, you should've said so," said Mal sarcastically, clearly not wanting Carlos to risk his life._

 _"I'm going with Mal. I'm not losing you again," said Evie. "Just stay out of sight until Jay makes it to the dungeon."_

"Guys, I know this is risky, but I'm taking my chances," said Carlos. "I'm not that scared little boy from the Isle anymore. I'm different now. If death has helped me, it's made me braver."

 _"You've really changed from the guy who still loves his baby rattle at 14," complimented Mal. "Just don't die."_

Carlos turns off his earpiece and stays hidden until Evelyn shows up. Evelyn arrives to see the current state of her men and women. After doing research on the villain kids, she knew that the paint is a sign that Carlos is nearby.

"Come on out, coward!" she yelled.

Carlos didn't come out, not yet, anyway. He takes out the last mini-bomb in his jacket. He activates it and rolls it towards Evelyn. The bomb goes off and releases a smoke screen. Evelyn immediately clears it with her magic. She saw Carlos running away. Carlos ran downstairs to the first floor. Just when he started running towards the door, Evelyn teleported right in front of him. Carlos stopped dead in his tracks.

"Well, looky what we have here?" started Evelyn. "The dead man walking."

"Very funny," replied Carlos with a smile, trying to act casual.

"I assume your friends are here as well," said Evelyn.

Evelyn started walking forward, while Carlos stepped back.

"Well, who on earth is crazy enough to go against you alone?" replied Carlos.

"I did my research. You have a knack for those little bombs of yours," said Evelyn. "Figured it was you who made that noise. I'm guessing you need my attention."

"That wasn't the plan at first," said Carlos. "I was just trying to take out your men. One of them grabbed me and set off one of my spheres by accident."

"Never underestimate the Order of the White Fire," said Evelyn. "My men, my women, they're not just your typical easy-to-beat goons. They're trained. Trained to match anyone who stands in their way."

"I admit. Your guards are tough. They gave us quite a fight the first time," said Carlos. "But recently, we've been able to hold our own against them. True, they're still tough, but they're beginning to look like 'easy-to-beat' goons."

"You and your friends are deadly adversaries, I admit," said Evelyn. "I know Mal is dangerous, but you, your blue-haired friend, and the Tourney jock. You're almost as deadly as her."

"I'm more than just a guy who makes toys," said Carlos. "I have a big brain, alright, but I also have a knack for moving like the wind. Helped me teach myself how to fight."

"I have magic. Twenty years experience," said Evelyn. "How can your toys match me?"

Evelyn lights up her hand with fire. Carlos continues stepping back.

"I'm willing to give it a try," said Carlos. "You killed my friend."

"So, the good princess is dead?" asked Evelyn, wearing a smirk on her face.

"Doctor called me last night. He said she's gone," said Carlos.

"Does Mal know?" asked Evelyn.

"She does," answered Carlos.

"Excellent," replied Evelyn. "I can't wait to face her. I want to see if grief brings out the best in her."

"When her mother killed me, she turned into a dragon and killed Maleficent," mentioned Carlos. "I think you'd be impressed."

"But let's see if I can add to that grief," said Evelyn. "I get rid of you, and she'll be even angrier."

Carlos just smirked.

"Smiling at the face of your demise," said Evelyn. "What kind of human being isn't scared of death?"

"The kind who has faced it before," answered Carlos.

Evelyn sends a fire blast at Carlos. He jumps out of the way. Evelyn holds her hand out and magically keeps Carlos frozen in place. She moves him towards her for some face-to-face time.

"You're out of your league, snowflake," insulted Evelyn.

"Only Mal calls me that," said Carlos. "You have chocolate below your lip, mistress hothead."

Evelyn smacks Carlos across the face.

"Ow!" he reacted.

Evelyn wipes the chocolate off her face then looks back at Carlos, but before she can say anything else, she heard her guards come downstairs, holding the Auradon kids hostage. Not too long after, a few guards came through the front door with Evie as their prisoner. Evelyn looks at Carlos again.

"Where is Jay?" she asked.

A few seconds later, Jay showed up, with Belle, Beast, Aurora, and Philip by his side.

"Um... hi," said Jay, trying to act cool in spite of the situation.

"Once again, my men and women have made me proud," said Evelyn. "Now, where's Mal?"

"Somewhere you can't sense her," answered Jay.

"I'm aware of that," said Evelyn. "I'm asking where she is."

Seeing the earpiece on Carlos' ear. She takes it off and puts it on.

"Hey, Mal. I thought you would like to hear that your little ambush plan failed," said Evelyn.

 _"First of all, it was Carlos' plan," said Mal. "Second of all, if you want to know where I am, well, you're out of luck. You want my attention? You have to get it."_

* * *

Far away from the castle, Mal takes off her earpiece and crushes it in her hands, just in case Evelyn could use the other communicators to locate her. She takes a brief look at the castle from where she stands before walking off.

* * *

Back in the castle, Evelyn started hearing static on the earpiece, then nothing.

"Smart girl," said Evelyn, referring to Mal. "I guess I'll have to make use of you three."

Two knights separated Jay from the grown-ups and put his hands behind his back. Everyone who is being held hostage stared at Carlos. He tries to avoid eye contact.

"I thought this was gonna be your big moment," said Jay. "We believed in you. Mal believed in you. Yet, you ruin your shot."

Carlos was offended.

"You blew it big time," added Chad.

"This was a stupid idea," said Audrey.

Carlos looked at the rest who haven't spoken. They didn't know what to say, but they weren't happy with him, including Evie. He hangs his head and looks away.

Evelyn spoke. "Boys and girls, take these two to Moonstone Village. It's time to end this game once and for all." She was about to walk away, until she stops and turns around. "Oh, and call Snow White. She may want to be there."

Evelyn returns upstairs while her knights drag the teenagers someplace else.

* * *

At Moonstone Village, the biggest village in Auradon, the citizens all stayed off the road upon seeing the knights of the Order of the White Fire marching in, holding Ben, his friends, and three villain kids in chains. Following them from behind is a carriage. The army stops and lets the carriage park in the very center of the village. Coming out is none other than the leader of the Order, Evelyn, dressed in her Fire Ranger armor, including the helmet.

Evelyn takes a moment to look at the people. They were feeling a little uneasy about seeing her in the helmet.

"Apologies, everyone," started Evelyn. "I just thought I'd look the part for this big moment."

Evelyn's knights made Ben and his friends get down on their knees. Snow White and Prince David arrive on the scene. Snow signals David to turn on the camera.

Evelyn begins. "Now, as you see here. Your once beloved king Ben, tied up in chains. I'm sure you would prefer to see him out of the chains, but that will only ruin the purpose of why he's my prisoner. As you all already know, I took the throne from him because I wanted to undo his one big mistake. These villain kids. As for why Mal isn't here, I'm hoping that this live broadcast will draw her here. Mal, if you're listening, I think you would like to know that if you don't show up in five minutes, then I throw your one true love into the Isle of the Lost. The savages there will rip him apart."

"You're threatening her in front of all these people?" interrupted Ben.

"Hey, at least I'm not threatening to kill you," pointed out Evelyn.

"You blew up a building full of people," reminded Evie.

"That was a message," said Evelyn in her defense. "Anyone who gets in my way will get 'it'."

"You may have the people fooled, but we know who you are," said Ben.

"You're nothing but a two-faced, metal-brained psychopath," insulted Evie. Noticing nearby parents covering their children's ears, she says, "Sorry."

"Maybe I'm not an angel, but neither are you," said Evelyn.

"At least we don't threaten to choke someone to death," said Jay.

Evelyn punches Jay in the face. The crowd gasped in shock.

"I'd watch my language if I were you," warned Evelyn.

"That's enough, Evelyn."

Evelyn turns around and saw Mal, standing a few feet away from her.

"Nice of you to show up," quipped Evelyn.

"No one hits my friends but me," said Mal.

"So, I assume Carlos delivered you the bad news," said Evelyn.

"He did," said Mal. "You're gonna pay for that."

"Why don't we take this business someplace else?" suggested Evelyn. "I'd hate to hurt anyone on our final fight."

"No, we're settling this right here, right now," said Mal.

While Mal and Evelyn continue exchanging words, a magical spell frees Carlos from his cuffs. He feels it, but he decided to stay in character. Suddenly, he just disappeared, shocking the knights and his friends.

"Um, mistress," called out a knight.

"What?" responded Evelyn.

Evelyn saw the empty space between Evie and Jay. She looks back at Mal.

"Where is he?" asked Evelyn angrily.

"This is between you and me, bucket-head," said Mal. "If you're worried about the people, let me take care of that, but first, call off your knights."

Evelyn did as Mal said and told the army to step away from the middle of the village. Mal raises her finger and casts a spell. There is now a transparent barrier surrounding her and Evelyn. Evelyn throws a fireball at the barrier and nothing happened. The barrier was Mal's way to make sure no one gets hurt while watching their fight.

Mal looks at Snow White. "Is the camera still rolling?"

"Yes," answered Snow.

"Then enjoy the show," said Mal.

"I'd rather not to," said Jane.

Before the fight can begin, Mal tells Evelyn, "Take off the helmet. I want to see the look on your face when I beat you."

Evelyn takes off the helmet and puts it down on the ground. She was about to draw her sword, but Mal shakes her head in a "no" fashion. Evelyn knows Mal wants an all-out magical battle, which means no swords. Evelyn throws away the scabbard.

"You go first," said Mal.

Evelyn ignites both her hands and throws two fireballs. Before they can hit Mal, they hit each other, resulting in a explosion that knocks Mal off her feet.

"Nice one," complimented Mal.

Mal gets off her feet and takes her turn. A magical sphere made of dark energy appeared on her hand. Mal throws it like a bowling ball. Evelyn sends a magical blast at it, but the result in an explosion that covered her in a purple cloud. When she cleared the mist, she immediately gets a kick straight to the chest from Mal.

"C'mon, Evelyn. I thought I taught you better," mocked Mal.

Evelyn ignites her hands and charges at Mal. Mal dodges Evelyn's strikes, but gets a few hits to the face before getting kicked to the ground. Mal heals the burn marks on her face and gets back up. A fist fight emerges. The children in the crowd were actually enjoying it, cheering. Evie, Jay, and the hero kids, on the other hand, were just hoping the Mal can win. They were also wondering where Carlos was.

Back inside the barrier, the punches continue getting thrown, but no one can outdo the other. Just when it looked like Mal was getting the upper hand, Evelyn sneaks a fiery punch, causing Mal to step back and clutch her side.

"That was dirty," said Mal.

"Don't you fight like that?" said Evelyn back.

"I'll show you dirty," said Mal. " _Tick, tock, goes the clock, make my enemy..._ "

Mal is interrupted when Evelyn hits her with a magic blast.

"Rhyming was so five years ago," said Evelyn. "I'm surprised you haven't grown out of the rhyming phase."

"I've only been a sorceress for two years," pointed out Mal.

Mal charges at Evelyn, but she knocks her down with a magical wave. Mal tries to get up, but Evelyn uses her magic to keep her grounded. Evelyn kicks Mal in the face, causing the crowd to gasp. Mal heals her bloody nose and tries to get up, but Evelyn keeps her grounded again.

"I'm disappointed," said Evelyn.

"You sound like my mother," said Mal.

"I thought the bad news would bring out the rage in you, but I don't see any of it," said Evelyn. "And I was so looking forward to this moment."

"Sorry to disappoint you," said Mal sarcastically.

Evelyn kicks Mal in the stomach. The crowd was beginning to look away. Parents were covering their children's eyes.

"Is that the best you got?" taunted Mal through her painful grunts.

Evelyn kicks Mal in the face again. A few parents started taking their children away.

"You're not gonna joke your way out of this," said Evelyn.

Mal just laughed. "I remember. You just can't take a joke... tin-head."

Evelyn puts her hand on Mal's throat and carries her up. When they looked at each other in the eye, Mal unleashes her evil stare, causing Evelyn to let go of her and step back to recover. Mal just remains lying on the ground, still clutching her face and her stomach.

"Can someone close my eyes?" asked Jane.

The knight behind her did her the favor.

"Thank you," said Jane.

Back in the barrier, Mal slowly heals her wounds and gets back up. Evelyn was still sitting on the ground, blinking repeatedly, trying to shake off the nauseating feeling in her eyes and her brain. Mal took this opportunity to attack. Mal kicks Evelyn on the chest, knocking her down into a lying down position. Mal makes two cuffs out of magic and chains Evelyn to the ground.

"Do yourself a favor. Surrender," said Mal.

"You think these chains can hold me?" Evelyn breaks out of the cuffs with ease and stands up. "We can keep at this all day, but this has to end soon."

"You want rage, then I'll give it to you," said Mal.

The fist fight continues and it was evenly matched. Punches kept on flying, but none of them are landing on someone's face. Mal ducks from Evelyn's high kick and charges, dragging her towards the barrier, giving her a magical shock. Mal puts down Evelyn and lets her recover. The Fire Ranger gets back up and the fight goes on. Evelyn was striking as fast as she can, but Mal counters with a fire punch across the face.

When Evelyn turned back to Mal, everyone can see the scar on her face.

"Well, looks like now you have a reason to wear actually wear a helmet," joked Mal.

Enraged to breaking point, Evelyn sets her hands on fire and hits Mal with a big fire blast. Before Mal can get up, Evelyn punches Mal in the face over and over again. No one could bare to watch, except for Jane, whose eyes are still covered. After a few more seconds, Mal is out cold from all the punching. Evelyn lights up her hand with magic, but before she can deliver a crucial blow, the big screen on the city's tallest building turned on. On it was Carlos.

 _"Hello? Hello? Is this working?"_

It wasn't just the big screen in Moonstone Village. Every TV in Auradon has been turned on and/or has been turned to the live message by Carlos.

 _Carlos looks away and asks a guy off-screen, "Are we live?"_

 _The guy off-screen said, "You're good."_

 _Carlos looks back at the camera and started speaking. "Good afternoon, Auradon. It's me. Carlos de Vil. I'm sure you probably know that. Oh, uh, Ben, I hope it's fine that I hijacked the news station. I need to get this message out. So, I'm here to tell you all the truth about Evelyn. Some of you see her as a villain because of her ruthless nature. Some of you see her as a hero because of her friendly nature. I'm here to tell you that those you're all right. True, she cares about all of you, but she doesn't care about my kind. Maybe this photo will be more illuminating."_

 _Carlos switches to the photo of the oil drum in the Isle of the Lost._

 _All the TVs switched back to Carlos. "You all remember that robbery at the laboratory days ago? It was Evelyn. She used the stolen chemicals to make an explosive compound and blow up the Isle of the Lost. She wants to get rid of all villains. She believes that's the best way for Auradon to return to a time of peace. Do I believe that? No. And I'm sure you don't either. Open your eyes, Auradon. She may have good intentions, but that bomb on my old home shows me that she's definitely no angel. As for her so-called army, look at yourselves. You're wearing armor and wielding swords to help her take over. How do you feel now?"_

Carlos turns off the camera. Evelyn's army all exchanged looks. They put down their swords, took off their helemts, and freed Ben and his friends. Evelyn sees this and looks back at Mal. She was conscious and smirking. She kicks Evelyn off her and undoes the barrier.

"Was getting captured part of Carlos' plan?" asked Evie.

"He didn't want to tell all of you because he wanted you to look convincing," said Mal.

"But he told you?" asked Ben.

"Why else would I make him disappear to the TV station?" pointed out Mal.

"Oh no," said Jay suddenly. "We said some bad stuff to him. He looked depressed."

"We have to apologize," said Evie.

"I don't think you should," said Mal. "He knows you were just telling him how you felt. I'm sure he knows you feel bad right now."

The crowd looks at Evelyn and started booing at her.

"It's over, Evelyn," said Mal.

Mal takes the detonator away from the former ranger.

"Just surrender now and I'll take you to jail without another scar on your face," said Mal.

"You ruined everything," muttered Evelyn.

"Because that's what I do to people like you," said Mal. "Now, get on your knees and put your hands behind your back before I make you do it."

"You actually think you have the real detonator?" said Evelyn all of a sudden.

"Why?" asked a confused Mal.

Evelyn waves her hand next to her hip, revealing another detonator. Mal takes a closer look at the detonator she holds and realized it was plastic. Evelyn picks up the real detonator and pushes the button.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Isle of the Lost, an explosion occurs and rips the island in half, literally. As the two halves sink, the barrier fades out. From the coast on the other side of the Broken Bridge, Mal watched. She couldn't move or say anything after what she just witnessed. Her old home. Gone. Along with all the villains. As bad as they were, what Evelyn just did was no better than what they used to do.

Mal hangs her head as a tear rains down from her eye. She and her friends may have succeeded in turning the public and the Order against Evelyn, but they paid the price what they've done.

 **Sorry you had to read that. I still hope this was worth the wait.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	36. Before Sunset

**I hope you're not still shaken up by the previous chapter. The story's not over. Enjoy the new chapter.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**

Back in Moonstone Village, Evelyn was still standing the middle of the city, watching the destruction of the Isle of the Lost through a magical globe. She can also see Mal watching from the coast of the Broken Bridge. She neither happy or angry. She just wore an emotionless look on her face. She made the globe disappear and pretended to look at a watch on her wrist as she counts down.

"And... now."

On cue, Mal teleports back to the village, with a dismal look on her face. Ben approaches her.

"Mal, what happened?" asked Ben.

"The Isle of the Lost. It's gone," said Mal.

Evie and Jay walked towards Mal.

"Mom?" Evie asked.

"Dad?" Jay asked.

After a brief hesitation, Mal said, "They're gone."

Evie started to cry. Jay comforts her. Mal looks at Evelyn, wearing a small grin on her face.

"My friends' parents lived there. Poor, innocent children as well," said Mal, slowly walking towards the ranger. "They were bad, but they have done nothing to deserve what you just put them through."

"It's too bad you killed your own mother before this," said Evelyn. "You would probably be even angrier now."

"Oh, I'm angry alright," said Mal. "You crossed the line."

"I thought I already crossed the line," said Evelyn. "Shouldn't you be re-digging Princess Sofia's grave?"

The crowd gasped and murmured after hearing this.

Mal's hands curl into fists. She was about to attack, but held herself back.

"Save that anger for the next fight," said Evelyn.

"There will be no next fight," said Mal. "Because what I'm gonna do now is turn into a dragon and burn you into a crisp."

"I'm afraid now's not the time," said Evelyn. "Look forward to seeing your trick, though."

Evelyn disappears.

"Where'd she go?" asked Lonnie.

Mal's phone rang. It was Carlos. She answers.

"Hello?"

 _"Um, hi, Mal," greeted Carlos. "So, how did it go?"_

"Evelyn blew up the Isle," confessed Mal. "I'm sorry about your mother."

 _"I can mourn later. Right now, I have bigger problems," said Carlos. "One question. How is Evelyn?"_

"She's trying to keep a stoic, smug look, but I can tell she's very, very, very angry," answered Mal.

 _"Well, that explains why she just burst into the TV station and is now trying to burn me alive," said Carlos. "Help!"_

The phone call ended.

"I have to go," said Mal. "Evelyn's after Carlos."

"You're not going without me," said Evie.

"I can't ask you to do that," said Evie.

"No discussion, Mal," interrupted Evie. "He's..." Noticing that Jay is in hearing range, Evie whispers to Mal, "... my boyfriend."

"Fine, but if either one of you die, I'm not attending your funeral," said Mal.

Evie looked at Mal, offended. Mal's lips curled into a smile, revealing he was joking. Evie smiled as well.

"Okay, if we're done joking, let's get moving," said Evie.

"Wait," said Ben.

Ben walks to Mal and the two share a kiss. Everyone who saw them said "aww", touched by the moment.

"What was that for?" asked Mal.

"For luck," answered Ben.

"And in case you never see me again?" guessed Mal.

"Can you blame me for being scared?" pointed out Ben.

"I guess I can't," said Mal.

"Mal!" called Evie, trying to remind her friend of Carlos' predicament.

"Coming," said Mal.

"Wait, what about me?" asked Jay. "Carlos is my bro. I'm coming too."

"Sorry, Jay, not happening," said Mal. "You can stay here and help Ben."

Before Jay can protest, Mal takes Evie's hand and teleports both of them away.

* * *

Meanwhile, Carlos is still running from Evelyn. He left the news station and was out in an open field. He stopped running when a fireball crashed in front of him. He looks behind and saw Evelyn. She teleports in front of him. He steps back in fright as she steps forward with an angry look on her face.

"You tore apart my society!" yelled Evelyn.

"That was the plan," pointed out Carlos, still scared.

"How did you get that photo?" asked Evelyn.

"Katie texted me," answered Carlos.

"Smart pirate," said Evelyn, referring to Katherine. "A contingency just in case her blackmail fails."

"Blackmail?" questioned Carlos, confused. "Oh, I get it. She used the photo as leverage to make you do something for her and her friends."

"Unfortunately for them, their blackmail attempt only ended with them meeting a watery doom," said Evelyn.

"How could you do it?" asked Carlos. "Just because you hate us, do you have to blow us up?"

"You villains are a disease that must be cleansed," said Evelyn. "If you hadn't intervened, I would've just locked you and your friends away on the Isle and let you live."

"Then why the bomb?" asked Carlos. "Oh, wait. Never mind. You blow us up if we escape. I got it."

"What I'm curious about is why the explosion didn't consume the entire island," said Evelyn. "Instead, the blast ripped the island in half. Literally."

"Seriously? I thought for sure there was enough ammonium nitrate to create an explosion with a blast radius that's two miles larger than the entire Isle," said Carlos. "Well, I have to be honest with you. We didn't have anything to do with it. We just went to the Isle, saw the bomb, and assured our parents we'll fix it."

"Well, you can't fix it," said Evelyn. "They're dead."

"You think that's fair? Just because you suffered from the loss of your family, you think we should too?" replied Carlos.

Evelyn just smacks Carlos across the face, knocking him down. Evelyn draws her sword and activates it, ready to unleash electric power on the son of Cruella de Vil.

"Don't worry, little man. You'll be with your mother soon," said Evelyn.

Before Evelyn can strike Carlos down, a fire blast hit her sword, knocking it out of her hands. Carlos and Evelyn saw Mal and Evie nearby.

"Back off my sweet pea, metal-head," said Evie, trying to act cool.

"'Sweat pea'?" questioned Mal, embarrassed for her friend.

"What do you think I should've said? 'Snowflake'?" responded Evie.

"It fits him pretty well," said Mal.

"Girls!" called out Carlos. "I'm about to die."

"Oh, right," said Mal and Evie simultaneously.

Carlos started running away as Mal and Evie ran towards Evelyn. Evelyn sends a magical wave towards. It knocks down Evie, but Mal blocks it with a magical shield.

"Did you even consider protecting me, too?" said an irritated Evie.

"Sorry," apologized Mal.

"Turn around," said Evie.

Mal did and saw Evelyn running after Carlos. Mal looks back at Evie and offers her a hand.

"How 'bout you let me get up on my own while you save my one true love?" suggested Evie sarcastically.

"What do you see in him?" responded Mal disrespectfully.

Seeing Evie's glare, Mal said, "Kidding."

Carlos was still running from Evelyn. He was outrunning her, but was tripped by a root magically growing out of the ground. He crashed, but immediately tried to get up. Before Evelyn can get to Carlos, Mal tackled her and held her to the ground. Evelyn elbows Mal in the face and pushes her off. Mal was about to get up, but Evelyn pins her arms to the ground.

"What now? You want to kill me?" said Mal.

"No. Death is too good for you," said Evelyn. "You are gonna live and watch as I wipe out your friends one by one. I'm saving your boyfriend for last."

Evelyn punches Mal in the face before continuing to purse Carlos. As Mal tried to get up, Evie was already running past her. Mal was offended that she didn't come to help her up first.

"Thank you," said Mal sarcastically.

Carlos, meanwhile, was still struggling to get up from the crash. When he finally did, he saw Evelyn only a few seconds away from reaching him. He was gonna get up, but he was too bruised from the crash. Luckily for him, Evelyn gets hit in the head with a perfume bottle. While Evelyn falls face first into the grass, Evie helps Carlos stand up.

Evelyn was about to stand up, until Mal walked by and kicked her in the head. Evie and Carlos gasped.

"That was for doing that to me," said Mal.

Mal walks towards Evie and smacks her behind the head.

"Ow!" Evie reacted.

"And that was for leaving me on the ground," said Mal.

"Did you really have to do that to her?" asked Carlos.

"Just teaching her manners," said Mal.

"I meant to Evelyn," said Carlos.

Evie looks at Carlos, offended.

"She killed everyone on the Isle, including your mother," said Mal. "She deserves whatever comes to her."

"Even death?" asked Evie.

Mal glares at Evie. "I was blinded by rage back there, but now, I'm gonna do what I planned to do at first."

Mal walks back towards Evelyn, who is clutching her aching head.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Show me your dragon trick," said Evelyn, grunting.

"I'm not going to do that," said Mal, offering a hand.

Evelyn takes Mal's hand and gets up.

"Evelyn, there's something I have to tell you," said Mal. "Remember the time you tried to kill Sofia?"

"What about it?" asked Evelyn.

"Do you know why I hesitated after I... broke your helmet?" continued Mal.

"You only exposed one eye," reminded Evelyn.

Mal poofs up a mirror. "Look into it. Get angry and take a good look at your eyes."

Evelyn puts on her angry face and looks at the mirror. They were glowing green. Evelyn stood back in shock. Mal makes the mirror go away.

"That never happened before," said Evelyn.

"Yes, it has," said Mal. "I looked into your eye and saw it glow. Recognize the glow?"

"But how can I have the same power as you?" wondered Evelyn. "There's no way unless..."

Evelyn paused. Mal grabs hold of Evelyn's wrist. She makes her finger glow and touches Evelyn's finger. Evelyn couldn't say a word after what she just felt. Mal smiled, knowing that Evelyn knows the truth.

"You're family is not all gone," said Mal.

"We're sisters," said Evelyn.

Mal's smile grew wider.

"But how...?" Evelyn was clearly surprised.

"I don't know," said Mal. "But the magic you have in you. It's my mother's dark magic."

"But I don't recall ever using dark magic," said Evelyn.

"Except for fire," said Mal. "You never used dark magic because you never knew you had it."

"Okay, what just happened?" questioned Evelyn. "Back in the village, which was just a couple minutes ago, you said you wanted to burn me to a crisp. Now, you want us to make up because we're related?"

"I know. It's crazy. I lost my mind because I was angry," said Mal. "But now that nature just calmed my mind, I remembered what I wanted to do when we beat you. Tell you the truth."

Evelyn stopped to think. This knowledge was overwhelming her. The girl she met after the death of her family was her sister.

Mal walk near Evelyn and puts her hand on her shoulder. "Evelyn, what you did was unforgivable. You still have to go to jail and pay for your crimes, but I promise you, I can help you. You may have lost your family, but you have a chance to make a new one. Just stand down and come quietly. If it makes you feel better, I'll take you back to the castle 'not' in chains."

"For the past twelve months, I've thought of nothing but revenge," said Evelyn. "I kept on thinking why I've been acting like this. Now I know why. The darkness."

"You remembered when I killed Sofia? That was the time I embraced the darkness," said Mal. "It changed me. Turned me into the worst person I can be. You've been embracing it this whole time and you never knew it."

"I went from a happy farm girl to an angry girl in armor to a homicidal psychopath," said Evelyn. "This darkness is too much."

"You'll get used to it," said Mal. "I have."

"Okay, everybody pause and rewind!" exclaimed a surprised Carlos. "Evelyn is Mal's sister?"

"Surprised?" replied Evie.

"Yeah, I'm surprised," said Carlos. "It does explain a lot, though."

"So, if we're all good, let's take Carlos to the hospital," suggested Evie.

"Actually, I prefer the pet hospital," said Carlos. "I haven't seen Dude since... well... you know."

"What do you say Evelyn? You want come home?" asked Mal.

"I have no home," said Evelyn.

"You will if you give me a chance to help you," said Mal.

"No one can help me," said Evelyn. "If this darkness is all I have in this world, then so be it."

All of a sudden, Evelyn smacks Mal in the face, then knocks down Evie with a magical blast. She uses her magic to take back her sword. Before Carlos can run away, Evelyn freezes him in place and strikes him in the chest with her sword. She retracts her sword and Carlos falls the ground. Evie wakes up only to see what happened to Carlos.

"Carlos!" she cried.

Evie quickly tends to Carlos. Mal started to come to. She saw Carlos' current state. She saw the blood on Evelyn's sword.

"Why?" she asked. "I offered you a chance of redemption, and you just throw it at my face?"

"You destroyed everything," said Evelyn. "You turned my army against me. The public hates me. I think it's fair that I take this out on the one who ruined it."

"But Carlos is just our tech-y guy. I'm the leader," said Mal.

"I heard you say ambushing the castle was his plan," said Evelyn.

Mal was beginning to boil with anger.

"You want to see my dragon trick? Well, congratulations. Hurting my friend is a one way ticket to see the show!" yelled Mal.

Evie scoots away, along with Carlos, because she knows what's about to happen.

Mal closes her eyes and channels her inner darkness. Evelyn started to stand back when purple smoke started surrounding Mal. After the mist cleared, Mal has once again transformed into a dragon. Evelyn put on a little smile on her face. She was a little envious.

Mal didn't hesitate and just smacked Evelyn aside with her claw. She picks up Evelyn with her tail and throws her to the other side of the field. Before Evelyn can crash, Mal hits her with a fire blast. Evelyn lands hard. Her armor is cracked (and in pieces) and part of her hair is burned.

Mal flies towards Evelyn and transforms back into her human form. Evelyn was about to get up, but Mal punches to keep her down. In rage, Mal repeatedly punches Evelyn in the face. This lasted for thirty seconds. When she stopped, Evelyn has a bruise on her cheek, her nose was bleeding, and her eye was nearing to black.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" said Evelyn. "All that power. All that rage."

"I can't lie. I does feel good," said Mal.

"So what now? You still gonna let me live?" questioned Evelyn, baiting Mal to do what's necessary.

Mal hesitated to answer. When she finally spoke, she said, "For now." She gets up, but before she walks away, she casts a spell. " _Night, night, goes the knight._ " The spell puts Evelyn to sleep.

Mal returns to Evie and Carlos. This kind of sight brings back a horrible memory. She kneels down next to them. Carlos was still alive, but he was loosing time.

"Can you do anything, Mal?" begged Evie.

"I'm sorry, E," replied Mal. "I can heal wounds, but not this."

"It doesn't matter," said Carlos. "I wasn't going to be here for long."

"What are you saying?" asked Evie.

"I never told you... about... what I-I've been hiding," said Carlos. "Sunset. Seventh day. Back... to... the afterlife."

"Seventh day?" questioned Evie.

Evie looks at the horizon and saw the sunset.

"So, once the sun sets, you'll be gone?" asked Evie.

"I'll... b-b-be dead before that," said Carlos. "At least my soul can rest in peace."

"Carlos, I'm not losing you again," said Evie. "This is... this is like the story of Ariel. Is there any way to save you?"

"You already did," said Carlos. "That kiss we shared when I died. That gave me a chance to live again."

"Then why didn't it save you this time?" asked Evie, breaking to tears.

"It's never that easy," answered Carlos.

With the little strength left in him, Carlos holds Evie's hand.

"I love you," said Carlos.

Evie couldn't say it back. She was too sad to do so. She just buried her head on Carlos' chest, crying. Carlos just closed his eyes, preparing for the inevitable. Mal was breaking into tears as well. She just went through this last year, and now, she was about to loose Carlos for good this time. She puts her arm around him and puts her lips on his forehead. She sits down on the grass and looks at the sunset.

Suddenly, Carlos started to glow. Evie noticed this and sat back up. Mal's mouth opened in shock at this sight. Bright light and sparkles surrounded Carlos. Light rained down from the sky and clouded him. When the light disappeared, Carlos woke up, but still clutching his wounded chest.

"Carlos!" Evie cried happily. "How're you feeling?"

"Alive," answered Carlos. "But I won't be for long if I don't get to a hospital and patch this wound."

"No need," said Mal.

Mal puts her hand on Carlos' chest and heals his wound. Carlos started breathing in and out over and over again afterwards. All three looked back at the sunset. The sun sets and Carlos was still breathing. The trio started to smile. Very happy to see Carlos alive, Evie gives him a big hug, unknowingly suffocating him.

"Evie, if you keep hugging me like this, you're gonna break my lungs," said Carlos.

"Sorry," apologized Evie, loosening the grip of her hug a little.

"Much better," said Carlos, hugging her back.

"I don't get it," said Evie. "How're you alive?"

"The Enchantress said an act of true love can save me," explained Carlos.

"But you've already said it. None of my kisses saved you because you can't use the same act," mentioned Evie.

"I did feel something on my forehead," said Carlos, touching his forehead.

Evie and Carlos slowly turned and looked at Mal, who was trying to avoid eye contact.

"Was that you?" asked Evie.

Mal looked at her friends. "I did tell my mother I loved Carlos as a brother."

Out of nowhere, Carlos just hugged Mal. Evie joined in. Mal started to feel suffocated, but she hugged back.

"Thanks, sis," said Carlos.

"Don't push it," warned Mal in a playful tone.

"Let's go back," said Carlos. "I'm sure the guys want to hear the good news. Speaking of 'guys', why didn't you take Jay with you? He's one of us."

"Same reason why you two don't kiss when he's in the room," replied Mal.

"You want him to be the last person to know that you and Evelyn are related," guessed Carlos. "You want to see the look on his face."

Mal nodded.

"You do realize that little game nearly cost me my life," pointed out Carlos.

Mal just pinched Carlos' cheek.

"When do you plan on telling him?" asked Evie.

"Maybe on the day we let Evelyn out of jail," said Mal.

"By the way, where's Evelyn?" asked Carlos.

"Just lying down. She's under a sleeping spell, so she won't be going anywhere," answered Mal.

"So, we did," said Evie. "The Order is extinct. Evelyn is defeated. Carlos is alive. It's all over."

Mal remembered something and uttered, "Oh..."

"Mal, what are you hiding?" asked a suspicious Carlos.

"I'll tell you guys when we get home," said Mal, smiling in an awkward fashion.

 **I hope you feel :) after reading this. Stay tuned for the next chapter.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	37. Orphans

**It's not over yet. There's still more. I hope you're ready. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

"You did what?!"

All eyes were on Mal after hearing what she just confessed. She was smiling in a sheepish manner.

"Maleficent is alive?" asked Audrey.

"I just said that," reminded Mal.

"Okay, let's see if I can get this straight," said Jay. "When you touched the scepter, you absorbed both the darkness and your mother's life. She was in your head and talking to you like an imaginary friend. You took a trip to your own mind to get rid of her, only for her to escape. Did I miss anything?"

"Well, she did try to force me to kill Evelyn," said Mal. "But I wouldn't do it."

"Well, you didn't kill her," said Lonnie. "Is there any consequences for not doing it?"

"That's why I'm telling you this now," said Mal. "She'll be coming after us since I didn't kill Evelyn."

"So, it's us versus Maleficent. Again," complained Chad.

"You know. It's kinda funny when you think about it," said Evie. "Sofia. Carlos. Mal. Maleficent. They all died, but they came back."

"Yeah, it makes you feel like all that mourning was for nothing," said Jay, seeing Evie's point.

"Well, one of us is going back to the afterlife," said Mal.

"You're going to kill you mother again?" asked Ben.

"Ben, I tried reasoning with her once and it failed," reminded Mal. "It's gonna hurt me to destroy her again, but it's our best and only option."

"Before, the worst you can do is curse people, but now, you think killing is normal," said Ben.

"I know that makes me sound like a monster, but I have to do what's necessary," said Mal. Before Ben can speak, Mal snaps her fingers in front of him and says, "I'm not discussing this any further."

Jane shimmies past Audrey and approaches Carlos. "Um, Carlos, can we talk?"

"Sure," said Carlos.

Carlos and Jane walk somewhere else for a private talk.

Chad leans closer to Evie and says, "Uh oh! Someone's trying to get in the royal doghouse."

"What does that mean?" asked Jay, clearly confused.

Chad puts his hand on Jay's shoulder and says, "Jay, my boy. There are some things in this world you are just too young to know."

"We're the same age," said Jay.

Chad pats Jay's back. "Don't worry. When you grow up, we'll let you in on the important stuff."

"What are you guys talking about?" asked an even more confused Jay.

Everyone else just chuckled, amused at Jay's confusion. The ex-thief was still muddled, not understanding what her friends are laughing about.

Ben's phone beeped. He answers it. "Hello? Oh, hey, Cogsworth. What's wrong?"

A few seconds later, Ben hangs up the phone.

"What is it?" asked Mal.

"Mal, you have to take us to the Broken Bridge," said Ben. "Don't ask, just do it."

Mal takes Ben's hand and teleports both of them out of the room.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the door...

"It was Mal?" Jane sounded surprised.

"Yup," replied Carlos.

"But I thought she loves Ben," said Jane.

"It's not that kind of love," said Carlos. "She loves me like how a girl loves her brother."

"So, you're back," said Jane. "Except for the part that we have to fight Maleficent and there could be a small chance one of us will die."

Seeing her stuttering friend's state, Carlos grabs both her shoulders. "Relax. I'm not going back to the afterlife. I promise."

"Maybe we better go back before Evie suspects something," said Jane.

"Don't worry," said Carlos. "We're just two friends having a little talk. Besides, if she's getting the wrong idea again, I'll just drag her to another session."

"Just be sure I'm not in the same room," said Jane. "Seeing you two on your little 'session' is a little discomforting. Besides, don't you think your 'session' is a little too grown-up for you two?"

"I'm not 14 anymore. I'm 16... turning 17," said Carlos. "Besides, the 'session' thing was her idea. Not mine. I was a little uncomfortable about it at first, but after our first five-minute session, I got used to it."

"That's sweet, but it's kinda nauseating me just thinking about," said Jane.

"Sorry," apologized Carlos.

Jane gives Carlos a hug, which he returns. After they let go of each other, they walked back to the others.

* * *

At the Broken Bridge, Mal and Ben arrive to see the authorities and paramedics at the scene. They were surprised and shocked to see four familiar faces. It was Katherine, Uri, Fernando, and Garth. They were covered in towels because they're wet. The paramedics offered medical attention, but they refused.

"Look what the fish dragged in," started Mal.

"Very funny, Mallory," replied Uri sarcastically.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, because I'm not, but why are you alive?" asked Mal.

"Uri. She needed to carry three of us and she had eight tentacles," answered Katie.

"But what about Ursula? She can swim, can't she? I mean I saw the barrier go down when the Isle blew up, so she can transform into her octopus form if she wanted," wondered Mal.

"She was one of those who got caught in the blast when the device blew up," explained Uri.

Mal can see the sad faces on her four former neighbors. It's clear that their parents didn't survive the destruction of the Isle of the Lost.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Yeah right," scoffed Katie, not believing that Mal feels bad.

"No, I mean it," said Mal. "By the way. Carlos said that the blast of the explosion was reduced. Do you guys know anything about that?"

"We do," answered Garth.

"We created a dome made of metal," said Fernando. "Apparently, that wasn't enough."

"You did save yourselves," pointed out Mal.

"But we couldn't save our parents," said Katie in despair.

Mal kneels down and puts her hand on Katie' shoulder. "Hey, if you guys want, you can come back to Auradon Prep. After all, the Isle is gone and you guys hated the rehabilitation center."

"Not until I get my hands on that Fire Ranger for what she did," said Katie angrily.

"You can't," said Mal. "She's in prison and all messed up."

"You didn't kill her? I'm shocked," said Katie sarcastically.

"I would've, but I couldn't," said Mal.

"Of course not. You're weak," said Katie.

Mal tensed and felt like punching Katie, but remembering that she was in grief made her second-guess herself.

"So, are you coming back?" Ben asked the quartet.

"Fine," said Garth.

"But the dormitory is still under repair," said Ben. "So, until then, you can stay in the guest bedroom at the castle."

"Bad idea," said Mal. "I think it's better if they stay in the hospital."

"We're fine," said Fernando.

"I can't trust you guys at the castle," said Mal. "If the doctors say you're fine, then you can leave early."

Ben spoke. "Oh, by the way. I almost forgot my manners. Thank you."

"For what?" asked Katherine.

"For sending Carlos that picture," answered Ben. "Without it, we would've lost today."

"Happy to help," said Katie in a sarcastic tone.

"You do realize that this one deed has made you heroes," said Mal. "Tomorrow, everyone's gonna know."

"Uh, no way," said Uri.

"No talking your way out of this," said Mal. "Trust me. Being worshiped as heroes will make you feel even more welcome here."

* * *

Later that evening, just before midnight, beneath Castle Beast, Evelyn sits alone in her cell. Her scar is still present and her eye is still healing. To keep her from using magic to escape, Mal put a magical bracelet on her. If anyone was down there to see the look on her face, they can see that she was both furious and miserable. She may have destroyed the Isle of the Lost, but that was after her knights were turned against her and the public saw her true colors, thanks to Carlos.

She looks at her family picture in her locket again. Her eyes started to water until tears rained down. Her sad moment was interrupted when someone knocked on the bars. It was Mal.

"Hey," she greeted.

Evelyn wipes off her tears. "What do you want? You here to make fun of my face?"

"It's hard not to," said Mal. "But no. I came here to talk."

Mal teleports inside the cell.

"What do we have to talk about?" asked Evelyn, still feeling bitter.

"I know you're upset." said Mal. "But you don't have to be if you..."

"Let me stop you right there," interrupted Evelyn. "You turned this entire kingdom against me, and gave me a scar on my face. If you're trying to make up for it by being nice, that option went out the window when I found out Bertha was really Mal."

"You brought this on yourself," said Mal. "Instead of finding a new purpose in life, you just started a revolution against Ben."

"I think we're clear that the 'darkness' inside me made me do this," said Evelyn, putting air quotes on "darkness".

"No," said Mal. "That's not true."

"How would you know?" retorted Evelyn.

"Because I know the darkness," said Mal. "Do you remember when we fought on the day I revealed to Auradon that I'm alive? You made me feel like a wimp. Without magic, I felt useless, hopeless. You know what you did to me? You made me desperate. I wanted my magic back."

"What does this have to do with the darkness?" asked Evelyn.

"I was craving for power. I felt it before when I embraced the darkness," said Mal. "Even without the darkness, I wanted the power. I just never thought about what it really meant until recently. The darkness doesn't just turn you into the worst you can be, but strengthens your desire for what you want. When I first wielded magic, it felt great. I just realized that I've always wanted more. I wanted to be the most powerful sorceress in the world, but my hunger for power was buried by my love for Ben."

"What are you saying? Are you saying that starting a revolution was what I really wanted?" questioned Evelyn.

"Yes," said Mal. "Your grief and love for your family would've buried that so low, but embracing the darkness helped you see what you wanted."

"But I was always a good girl. Why on Earth would I want to rule?" wondered Evelyn, confused about the darkness.

"We all have our dark sides," said Mal. "Look at Audrey and Chad. They may be kids of heroes, but they have their own selfish desires. Audrey wanted to be the most popular girl in the school. Chad wanted to be the most popular guy in the school."

"What exactly are you saying?" asked Evelyn.

"Deep down inside, you really wanted payback on Ben for inviting me and my friends here," said Mal. "The black color of your blood helped you bury your love for your family and let your dark desire rise."

Evelyn looks away from Mal.

"Evelyn. We're sisters," said Mal. "I want to help you. Give me a chance and I'll let you out of here. Do you want to be alone for the rest of your life?"

"I don't know," answered Evelyn with a bitter tone.

"Fine. Have fun sitting down here eating prison food until the end," said Mal with scorn.

Mal teleports out of Evelyn's cell.

As soon as Mal left, one thought started clouding Evelyn's mind.

"How can she be my sister?"

 **Don't worry. That question will be answered soon. I'll update when the next chapter is ready.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	38. Strawberries, Sympathy, and Serenity

**I've noticed that my story's been all action and suspense, but lacking romance. While I think about the "Maleficent" situation, how about I treat... anyone who still reads this... to a chapter full of romance. This is to Bal fans, Jaudrey fans, and CarVie fans.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

A day has passed since Evelyn's defeat and the downfall of the Order of the White Fire. Those who were associated with Evelyn were promised a pardon if they assist in the reconstruction of Auradon Prep dormitory. Mal announced the heroic deed of Katherine, Uri, Fernando, and Garth to the entire kingdom. They were loved for their part in Evelyn's downfall. While it disgusted them to be referred to as "heroes," they were satisfied with the royal service they were receiving from Ben.

Not wanting to keep secrets from the kingdom anymore, Mal also told of her mother's return. Instead of having every kingdom under lockdown for protection, some of Evelyn's former knights offered protection. Half remained on the dormitory rebuilding while the other half join the army of other kingdoms.

Meanwhile, Carlos visits the pet hospital and takes Dude back home. Since classes are still on hold due to the rebuilding of the dormitory, the VKs stayed in the castle along with the hero kids. Since Mal doesn't know where her mother is, the best they can do is relax until the time comes.

* * *

Mal was in the royal dining room. Alone. She was eating strawberries off a bowl as big as a punch bowl. Strangely, she doesn't feel like feasting on strawberries rapidly this time. She was just taking one strawberry at a time and eating them slowly. Thirty minutes have past and she has only finished a quarter of the bowl. She wasn't gonna be alone for long because Ben just entered.

"Hey," he greeted.

"'Sup," she greeted back, although still feeling troubled.

"What's the matter?" asked Ben. "The girl I love wouldn't be sulking if there was a mountain of strawberries in front of her."

"The usual. My mother," answered Mal. "I thought I finally got rid of her, but now, she's back. We're back where we started after Evie's Isle adventure."

"You're not blaming her again, are you?" asked Ben.

"The only person I'm blaming is myself," said Mal.

"Mal, self-pity never helps," said Ben.

"I know," said Mal. "It's just that... I just can't get a break. No matter how many times I save the day, there's always trouble popping to replace the one I just fixed."

"The world never works the way you want it," said Ben.

"Trust me. If the world did work my way, I'd have all the power in the world, there will be no more trouble in Auradon, and we'd already be married," said Mal.

"Still power hungry?" asked Ben.

"I'm sorry," apologized Mal. "But that's really who I am."

"If you really want to be an ace-level sorceress, I can have Fairy God Mother schedule some lessons," suggested Ben.

"Thanks, but no thanks," said Mal. "I prefer to teach myself."

"Mal, I know all this good vs. evil stuff can be stressing, but always remember. Good always wins," said Ben.

"I know Ben," said Mal. "But it's just... difficult. I mean after we defeat my mother, then what? Can I finally live here in peace, or is there going to be another problem threatening Auradon?"

"What are you trying to say?" asked Ben.

"Do you really want a future with me?" responded Mal. "I may have changed here in Auradon, but I still bring trouble wherever I go. Am I really deserving a seat at the royal throne?"

"Mal, we talked about this. No one deserves that seat more than you do," said Ben. "I love you."

"I love you, too," said Mal. "But still..."

Ben moves his chair closer to Mal's.

"What's it gonna take for you to truly accept a future with me?" asked Ben.

"A sign," said Mal. "That I am really deserving to rule this kingdom by your side."

"I'm guessing my words are not the sign you need," said Ben.

"If the universe is kind enough to give me a sign, I'll try to see it," said Mal.

"Sometimes, I wish things weren't this difficult," said Ben. "After my coronation, I thought all I had to worry about was my duties as king. Instead, I had to constantly worry about Maleficent, the... Frightening Foursome... and Evelyn. You have no idea how often I think about how our lives would've been like with no worries, but I try to stop thinking about it. I just focus on the present and try to build my future from there."

"I've said this before, but I'll say it again. This kingdom is lucky to have you as king," said Mal.

"Mal, please, at least try to stay positive," said Ben. "You've beaten your mother lots of times before, you can beat her again."

"My mom may be a nut, but she's still crafty," said Mal. "I hate to even guess what she has up her sleeves this time."

"Do you want me to force you to relax again?" questioned Ben.

"You took me to the Enchanted Lake," reminded Mal. "Ben, you're sweet, but everything is just too much for me to cope with."

"Well, you've been through a lot. I wouldn't know what you feel unless I'm you," said Ben.

"But that doesn't I want to face them alone," said Mal. "I need friends. A little company always helps."

"Well, I'm here," reminded Ben.

"And I'm always pleased to have King Cutie by my side," said Mal.

Ben smiled, amused at what Mal called him. The two leaned towards each other and shared a kiss. After ten seconds, they stopped.

"I can still taste the strawberry," said Ben.

Mal picks up a strawberry, takes a bite out of it, sticks her finger in the rest, and rubs the juice all over Ben's lips. Mal grinned, amused. Ben just licked all of the juice.

"Are you sure there is no way to fix that dangerous sense of humor of yours?" questioned Ben.

"Touch my funny bone and I'll break yours," threatened Mal with a sweet tone and a big smile.

Ben nodded, agreeing not to mess with Mal's humor. The two just spent the rest of the time eating strawberries together. Being her usual quirky self, Mal took two strawberries, ate them halfway, and pressed them on Ben's cheeks, soaking them. Mal kisses both of Ben's cheeks, sucking the juice while she does. Ben felt uncomfortable, but he still smiled. Mal may not be perfect, but she doesn't need to be perfect. He loves her in every way.

* * *

Meanwhile, Jay was taking Audrey for a walk in the park. They realized that they haven't been spending much time together due to the "Evelyn" crisis. Instead of a big fancy restaurant or visiting Audrey's parents, Jay thought a simple date would work out.

"So, Audrey, how is with Mal?" asked Jay. "You accepting the 'sister' thing yet?"

"Still feels weird calling her that," replied Audrey. "But we haven't talked about it lately."

"Well, you should," said Jay. "Before we go against Maleficent again, we need to treasure these moments with the ones we love... while they're still there."

Noticing the depression on his last few words, Audrey says, "I'm sorry."

"That's okay," said Jay.

"But you miss your dad," said Audrey.

The sad look on Jay's face was present.

"He was no perfect father, but he was my father," said Jay.

"Besides being evil and obsessed with collecting junk, what was he like?" asked Audrey.

"He was... not bad. He may not be entirely supportive of me, but he still motivates me and hopes for me to be better at being bad," said Jay. "I know that sounds weird to someone like you, but to me, that's a sign of a loving father."

"At least you loved him," said Audrey.

"I just wish our last words to each other was worth remembering," said Jay. "The last time we talked, I just told him that me and my friends will take care of the bomb. And we didn't."

"I know it's a hard time for you, Jay, but I want you to remember that I'm here for you," said Audrey.

Jay smiled. "Nice to see you finally embracing selflessness."

"You and your friends have really helped me," said Audrey. "And Chad."

"Solved the mystery why Lonnie's dating him?" asked Jay.

"Nope. It's still a mystery," answered Audrey. "I think it's best to just be happy for them."

The two kiss, but their moment was cut short by a phone. It was Audrey's.

Audrey answers. "Hello?"

 _"Hi, Audrey. It's Jane."_

"What do you want? Jay and I were in the middle of a special moment."

 _"Were you two kissing? I'm sorry," apologized Jane. "I was asking if you can come by mother's house and help me with something."_

"With what, and why me?" asked Audrey.

 _"I'd rather you find out when you get here. Also, I called already called Mal and Carlos, but they were busy," answered Jane._

"Okay, I'll be there," said Audrey. She looks back at Jay. "Sorry. Friend in need."

"Can I at least see you later?" asked Jay.

"Back at the castle?" suggested Audrey.

"I'll be there," responded Jay.

Audrey kisses Jay on the cheek before walking away. Jay just stood next the fountain, smiling.

"You definitely found the right one, Jay."

* * *

In another part of Auradon, Evie was driving Ben's scooter, which she stole, through a forest. She was looking for Carlos. She remembered the program he made on his laptop that can triangulate a cellphone signal to pinpoint one's location. She was able to use his laptop because Mal told her Carlos' password, which was "bluecrowns". The reason she stole Ben's scooter is because she still hasn't passed the driving test. She had taken it sixteen times and each attempt ends with skidding on the grass or the driving instructor ending up in the hospital.

Evie stopped when she spotted Carlos. He was sitting with Dude next to a pond.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," greeted Carlos.

Evie sits down next to Carlos and pets Dude.

"How is he?" asked Evie.

"If he stays out of harm's way, his tail will be healed in three days," answered Carlos. "So, let me guess. You figured out my password."

"Actually, Mal told me," said Evie. "I'm touched you chose a password after me."

Carlos smiled, feeling embarrassed.

"That was back when I kept my feelings a secret," said Carlos.

"I'm still touched," said Evie. "So, what is this place? And why are you here?"

"It's called the Lake of Serenity," answered Carlos. "It's magical. It releases an aura that keeps anyone and anything around these woods calm and peaceful."

"I do feel very calm," said Evie. "But again. Why are you here? And how did you even know this place existed?"

"You know I love to read books. I've read dozens of books about the world before Auradon. The lake has always existed. Even after Auradon was formed, it still remains," answered Carlos. "Also, I came here to chillax."

"What's going through your mind now?" asked Evie.

"Well, I'm alive. For good," said Carlos. "But that still doesn't change the fact that I hid a very important secret from you."

"I understand why," said Evie. "If you'd told me, I'd be obsessed with trying to save you instead of focusing on the Order."

"Do you really forgive me or is it the lake getting to you?" asked Carlos.

"I do forgive you," said Evie. "I know what it's like to keep a secret. Remember the Forgotten Island? I broke up with you, but that wasn't really me. It was Maleficent. She tried to tear us apart to throw us off our mission. She figured breaking both our hearts will affect Mal and Jay as well."

Carlos smiled, knowing Evie was telling the truth.

"I guess my little secret makes us even," said Carlos.

"I guess it does," replied Evie.

Carlos continues staring at the lake.

"Carlos, please, tell me everything. I want to make sure you're feeling alright," pleaded Evie.

"It's just that..." Carlos paused. "I'm not so sure about this relationship."

"Why?" asked Evie.

"Whenever it looks like things between us are working out, something just gets in the way and ruins it," said Carlos. "It just makes me wish I never talked to you that night."

"Carlos, I can't believe you're saying that," said Evie in a calm outrage, due to the lake.

"I know, but... can it really work between us?" replied Carlos.

"You said you love me," reminded Evie.

"I know," replied Carlos.

"And I said I love you," said Evie.

Carlos just stayed silent.

"So, what? You want us to break up?" asked Evie.

"I'm not saying that," said Carlos.

"Then what are you saying?" asked Evie.

Carlos looked at Evie's eyes for a few seconds, then spoke. "What I'm saying is... can this relationship last? Keeping a big secret from you has made me feel like I was falling forever in an endless abyss of guilt. My time was limited and I just let you think I'm back for good. I wanted to tell you, but I just fought the urge to tell the truth."

"You kept a secret from me, but it's past now," said Evie. "I thought you always lived by your words from our musical number. Let the past be the past."

"It's not about the past," said Carlos. "It's about me. I've died. I came back to life. Now that I'm back forever, can I really just go on with my life?"

"You're starting to sound like Sofia," said Evie.

Carlos looks at Evie.

"I think what you're going through," said Evie. "You're worried about living your life after it ended once. You've escaped death, but it doesn't feel right."

"Well, now I know who I should be talking to, but unfortunately, she's gone. Again," said Carlos, mourning his friend.

Evie puts her arm around Carlos and gives him a hug, trying to comfort him.

"You've faced her death once. I'm sure you can do it again," said Evie, being her usual optimistic self.

"Not exactly the right words," said Carlos.

"Sorry," apologized Evie.

"What would she say if she was here?" asked Carlos.

"I don't know. I'm not Sofia," said Evie. "But I'm sure she would say that you should just continue enjoying life."

"If she did say that, it would probably sound more mature and she would use more sophisticated words," said Carlos.

"I know. She's awesome," said Evie.

"But I got this aching feeling in my gut saying she isn't really dead," said Carlos. "Wouldn't her family have called us to the wake?"

"I understand wishing someone you care about is still alive, but I guess this time, we have to face it. She's gone," said Evie.

Carlos just frowned.

"Now, back to our relationship," said Evie, changing the topic. "Do you want to break up or not?"

"I don't know," said Carlos.

"Do you love me?" asked Evie.

"With all my heart," asked Carlos.

"Then answer me," said Evie. "What do you need?"

Carlos didn't answer. He stayed silent for a minute. Evie just threw a pebble into the pond, waiting for an answer.

"I wish Sofia was here," said Evie.

"You and me both," said Carlos.

"But I'm not waiting for her ghost to just suddenly show up and fix us," said Evie. "Just tell me. What do you need?"

"I don't know," said Carlos.

Not knowing what to do next, Evie just grabbed Carlos' face and kisses him on the lips. Carlos was thinking about pulling away, but his burning cheeks and accelerated heart rate made him loose himself in the kiss. He removes one hand off Dude and puts it on Evie's cheek, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. Dude was feeling uncomfortable seeing human lip-to-lip contact. He leaves and naps behind a tree. Carlos didn't notice he was gone because he was completely lost in his moment with Evie. Their lips stayed attached for over half an hour before they finally stopped.

"How long was that?" asked Evie.

"Sorry, no timer," said Carlos. "I do wish it was the longest."

"Well, we can always do better," said Evie.

"Wait, where's Dude?" wondered Carlos.

Before he can panic, Carlos saw Dude's tail sticking out from behind a tree. He gets up and takes a look. Dude was napping.

"He's fine," said Carlos. "He's just tired."

"Then come back here and let's set a new record," said Evie sweetly.

"I'll activate the timer," said Carlos.

After starting the timer, Evie and Carlos locked lips again. Carlos was still troubled, but right now, all he cares about is cherishing this moment with the woman he loves.

 **I have to be honest. Writing this almost made me cry. Even from an author's point of view, it's just too beautiful. I hope you also think so.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	39. Ben's Risky Choice

**New chapter. Finished. I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

In the castle hallways, Ben and his parents were having a conversation, or more like, a serious discussion. Ben made a choice that Belle and Adam were not okay with.

"Son, I strictly advice that you second-guess yourself," said Adam.

"Dad, we've been through this, and you're not gonna change my mind," said Ben.

"At least consider the consequences, son," said Belle.

"I did," said Ben. "And I'm going through with it. Even if this is my worst decision ever, I'm going to risk it."

"Personally, I thought your worst decision was the dunking game at the carnival," said Adam.

"In my defense, that was Jay's idea," said Ben.

"Ben, please, reconsider," pleaded Belle.

"No," said Ben.

Belle and Adam just stood there, surprised and shocked that Ben said the "n" word in front of them.

"That's right. I said 'no' to my parents," said Ben. "I'm doing that just this once because I know I'm doing the right thing. You doubted me when I chose to invite the villain kids to Auradon, but it turned out okay."

"The people on Mount Olympus would disagree." Belle muttered to herself.

Ben and Adam, however, heard her and looked at her.

Feeling embarrassed of what she said, Belle smiles in a sheepish way. "Sorry. Poor choice of words. I mean... the people on Mount Olympus are very happy."

* * *

A few hours later, Carlos exited the guest bedroom where he, Evie, and Jay stay. They knew that Mal needs her space so they decided not stay in her room. Carlos walks towards Mal's room and knocks on the door.

"Come in," said Mal.

Carlos opens the door, but was shocked and surprised to see who was inside. It was Evelyn. She was sitting down on the couch, watching TV and drinking tea.

"Hi," she greeted.

In response, Carlos runs outside, screaming, then goes back to the bedroom next door, which was where Evie and Jay were. After hearing what Carlos said, the trio ran out of the room as fast as they can and stopped at Mal's room.

"Hi again," greeted Evelyn.

"What are you doing here? How did you get out?" asked Jay.

"Ben let her out," answered Mal, coming out of the bathroom.

"Why?" asked Evie.

"She's going to help us with my mother," answered Mal. "Besides, I think it's time these two finally meet face-to-face. There are so many questions that need to be answered."

"Forgive me for saying this, but your boyfriend is insane," said Jay.

"That's what his mother said," said Mal.

"What makes you think she'll help us?" asked Evie. "She tried to kill, well, all of us."

"It's called a second chance, E," said Mal. "After what happened to Sofia, Ben was still willing to give me a second chance."

"But she's not dead anymore," reminded Evie.

"I'm aware," said Mal.

"Then why do you keep bringing that up? It's like you want credit for her death," questioned Evie.

"That's not the point," said Mal. "The point is that Ben gave me a second chance after I did something unforgivable. If I can be helped, then maybe it'll work for Evelyn."

"She stuck a sword through my chest," reminded Carlos.

"And you're still alive," pointed out Mal.

"She blew up the Isle of the Lost," reminded Evie.

"Not everyone died," said Mal.

"My father, Evie's mother, and Carlos' mother are gone," said Jay. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't give your new friend a knuckle sandwich. Well, besides the fact that she's a girl."

"Because she's powerless," said Mal. "Ben let her out, but that doesn't mean we still can't be cautious. She's still wearing the bracelet that keeps her from using her magic."

"I'm just gonna take a guess, but did you force Ben to do this?" asked Evie.

"No," answered Mal. "He made this choice himself. I wasn't sure about it at first, but I agreed with him. But he didn't need my approval. He was gonna do it regardless."

"How 'bout we move her to the other side of the world and leave her there?" suggested Carlos.

"Carlos!" yelled Mal, Evie, and Jay.

"Kidding," said Carlos. "But seriously, I still think this is a horrible decision."

"She's more powerful than mother. She can help," said Mal. "I'm not asking you guys to agree. I'm just asking you to support me."

"Sorry, Mal, but we don't support this," said Carlos.

"Get used to it," said Mal. "Once this whole mommy issue is out of the way, Evelyn will be staying here with us."

"What?!" exclaimed Mal's friends.

"The reward for her cooperation is freedom," clarified Mal.

"Yeah, we know what you mean," said Carlos. "But... what?!"

"Carlos, turn 90 degrees to the left," ordered Mal.

Carlos did as she said. Mal walks closer.

"You're not dead!" she yelled into his ear.

Carlos, in response, steps back and clutches his hurting ear.

"Now, why don't we clear the air?" suggested Mal.

Evie, Jay, and Carlos followed Mal towards Evelyn. However, all that filled the room was silence and glares. Mal pretends to cough to break the silence.

"How 'bout we shake hands?" suggested Mal.

Mal pulls Evie by the wrist and opens her hand for Evelyn. Evelyn reluctantly shakes hands with her. Mal then pulls Jay towards Evelyn and they shake hands. Mal tried to pull Carlos, but he was resisting. The tug of war lasted for half a minute until Mal pulled both his arms, dragging him towards Evelyn.

"Well, c'mon. Shake," insisted Mal.

Carlos shakes his head left and right, saying "no".

"C'mon, Carlos. Evie and Jay did it," said Mal.

"You took us by the hand and gave them to Evelyn for her to shake," reminded Evie.

Mal looks back at Carlos.

"I will go with this... for now... but I will not shake her hand for as long as I live," said Carlos before walking out of the room, but not before sending a death glare at Evelyn.

Mal looks at Evelyn. "He's a complicated person. Dying once has really made him very moody."

"I don't blame him," said Evelyn. "I didn't even think coming back from the dead was possible."

"Well, I think the universe wanted him to be here," said Mal. "And maybe the universe is giving you a chance at redemption."

"Okay, I'm out," said Evie. "Seeing you two being all friendly as if the she-witch hasn't done anything wrong makes me uncomfortable."

Evie walks out the door.

"I'm with her," said Jay, walking out of the door as well.

Evelyn looks at Mal. "Your friends are never gonna trust me."

"I don't trust you either," said Mal, sitting down on the couch with her "sister". "But I trust you to at least forget about your personal grudges and help your sister deal with your mother."

"My real mother is the Mistress of Evil. Who would've though?" quipped Evelyn, trying to act funny.

"Be glad you didn't grow up with her taking care of you. She isn't really a role model," said Mal. "I kinda feel jealous. The way you talk about your parents. They sound really nice."

"They were," said Evelyn, smiling.

"Can I see the picture?" asked Mal.

"How did you know?" asked Evelyn.

"I saw you looking at your locket back in the prison," answered Mal. "Now, c'mon. I wanna see it."

Evelyn removes her locket and gives it to Mal. She opens it and sees the picture. She smiles.

"Your little brother is cute," said Mal.

"He was a troublesome bundle of cuteness," added Evelyn. "He set the house on fire once. I had to clean up his mess by taking care of the fire myself."

"Is that how you got the name, 'Fire Ranger'?" asked Mal.

Evelyn chuckled in response. "Eddy called me that. He thinks of me as his hero. He thought I needed a name. I would even play with fire for him because he was really desperate to see what I can do with it."

"Did your parents know?" asked Mal.

"No, they did not," answered Evelyn. "We did it behind their backs, but I always made sure Eddy was safe. I made him some fire proof clothing... as well as head protection."

"It's nice to know you love your family," said Mal. "I thought I loved my mother, but being in Auradon helped me see that I never loved her."

"I'm sorry," said Evelyn with sympathy.

Shocked and surprised, Mal turns and looks at Evelyn in the eye. She can tell that she was truly sorry for her childhood.

"Thanks, Ev," said Mal.

"Ev?" questioned Evelyn.

"It's a nickname," said Mal. "None of your friends ever gave you a nickname?"

"A lot of people called me 'Evyster'," said Evelyn. "Some called me 'Vyl'."

"This is nice," said Mal. "You and me being sisters."

"I just feel so... mellow... for some reason," said Evelyn. "I mean, one minute I'm acting like a maniac, but now I feel like myself."

"I think I'll give you time to understand the darkness," said Mal.

"Doesn't the on-and-off thing bother you?" asked Evelyn.

"I wouldn't say it felt like my evil self was going on and off. I was just being myself," said Mal. "Just worse."

"It was nice to at least fight the real you," said Evelyn. "I got the mark to remember that fight forever."

"Do you want me to do something about that?" asked Mal.

"It's a scar. You can't heal it," said Evelyn. "Besides, I deserve it. A price to pay for what I've done."

Mal puts her hand on Evelyn's shoulder. "You're going to be alright. The world may never forgive you, but Ben and I are willing to give you a chance."

"Now I can see why Ben likes you," said Evelyn.

"Wrong. He doesn't 'like' me. He 'loves' me," corrected Mal.

Mal was beginning to feel happy inside and out. She and Evelyn are having a normal talk like sisters. She was rattled at the thought of releasing Evelyn from jail, but their moment right now was making her regret about doubting Ben's idea. She was going to use every opportunity that comes to get closer to Evelyn until she accepts a new life in Auradon.

 **How about that? A little Mal and Evelyn sister bonding. I hope that was touching. Please wait for the next chapter.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	40. Sisters vs Mother

**Chapter 40. Done. Get ready. It's pretty long, but things are about to get intense and (maybe) emotional. Depends on point of view. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

Princess Aurora and Prince Philip were having a tea party with Cinderella and Prince Charming. Fairy God Mother joined in as well since Ben canceled classes due to Auradon Prep's destroyed dormitory. What started out as a normal conversation turned into a talk about Aurora and Philip adopting Mal.

"So, what's it like having the daughter of Maleficent as your daughter?" asked Cinderella.

"Believe it or not, she's easier to handle than Audrey," said Philip.

"She's a little over-the-edge, but she's a good girl," added Aurora.

"I saw her school records," said Fairy God Mother. "I'm surprised her erratic behavior didn't arouse any suspicion."

"Well, she did look very different," said Charming.

"The blue eyes were definitely the cherry on top of an unrecognizable look," added Cinderella.

Suddenly, the ground started to shake. Aurora's entire kingdom felt it. To everyone's surprise, giant thorns started to rise just behind the castle. Dark clouds begin to cover the sky. The thorns stopped rising and covered most of the ground outside the kingdom's perimeter.

"Don't those look familiar?" wondered Charming.

"The Moors," said Aurora. "Maleficent is here."

On cue, green smoke was heading their way. The Mistress of Evil arrives.

"Hello, Aurora. Long time no see," greeted Maleficent in her usual quirky tone.

"Last time I saw you, you weren't old and out of your mind," said Aurora.

"Okay, so 20 years of imprisonment has made me a little crazy," said Maleficent. "But I'm still the worst."

"We're not afraid of you," said Charming, drawing his sword.

"You brought your sword on a tea party?" questioned Fairy God Mother.

"When Mal told all of Auradon that her mother is back, I thought it's best to always be prepared," said Charming.

With a wave of her scepter, Maleficent turns Charming's sword into a balloon sword. She started laughing.

"Alright, Aurora. Time to send your daughter a message," said Maleficent.

"I'm not doing anything you tell me to," said Aurora.

"Oh, but you will," said Maleficent.

Maleficent poofs up an unconscious Sofia right in front of the royalty.

"Now, my old friend, you either play along or Princess Sofia will meet her doom," threatened Maleficent. "Again."

* * *

In Castle Beast, Mal called everyone, including Evelyn and Ben's parents, for a meeting in the dining room. After Mrs. Potts served Mal her bowl of strawberries, the meeting began.

"So, Mal, what's the situation?" asked Belle.

"Mom sent me a message," said Mal.

"What did Maleficent say?" asked Adam.

"I meant Sleeping Beauty, not Maleficent," said Mal. She started laughing. "Sorry. I'm just messing with you."

Mal takes out her phone. She casts a spell so she can view the message to everyone in the form of a bubble. They can see Aurora.

 _"Hi, Mal. It's your mother... with your real mother. Maleficent just recreated the Moors. She has a tree army surrounding the entire kingdom. She's giving you one hour to show up. If you don't make it, my people will pay the price. If you need to bring your friends, your mother said she doesn't mind, just as long as you're with them. Please, Mal. Save us. You want to prove yourself to this kingdom, this is your chance."_

Aurora stopped and everyone thought the message has been delivered, until Aurora immediately turns the camera towards an unconscious Sofia. They gasped (except for Mal, since she already saw the message). Maleficent immediately shuts down Aurora's phone and the message stopped.

"Sofia's alive?" Carlos reacted. "But the doctor said she was gone."

"I called the doctor after I read the message. He confessed that my mother forced him to tell you that she's gone," said Mal.

Carlos buries his face on the table. Evie puts her hand on his back, patting him.

"I guess that would explain why Roland and Miranda haven't called," said Adam.

"Well, why are we even sitting down having tea? We should go to Sleeping Beauty's kingdom now," said Evie.

"I know, but we need to think about this first," said Mal. "Besides, we have fifty minutes."

"Then you're wasting time," said Evelyn with a smug look on her face.

Mal was about to hit Evelyn, but she held her own fist back and takes a deep breath.

"Let me guess. You want the Auradon kids to back you up?" asked Audrey.

"Always," answered Mal.

"And you're still bringing her?" asked Carlos, pointing at Evelyn, as well as adding scorn to his tone when he said "her".

"Carlos!" yelled Mal. "That's not nice."

Carlos just looks away.

"I understand having Evelyn around is bringing a lot of tension between us, but we have to focus," said Mal.

"Spoken like a true leader," complimented Ben.

Mal blows a kiss to Ben and winks. Jay, Chad, and Lonnie were grossed out, as seen on their faces.

"We still don't know what my mom is planning," continued Mal. "Desecrating an entire kingdom is just a message. She wants me and there's a reason for it."

"Isn't she just gonna try again to make you evil?" Evie guessed.

"If yes, then I'll just be walking there for nothing," replied Mal. "We need a plan."

"Do you have one?" asked Jay.

"Oh yeah," replied Mal. "But it's risky. And there's a high chance that Jane won't make it back alive."

Everyone looks at Jane, who was feeling scared. Everyone looks back at Mal. She smiled and started laughing quietly to herself.

"Relax, Jane. I'm just kidding," said Mal.

"Phew," replied Jane.

"Probably," added Mal.

Jane's eyes widened with fright at the sound of it. Mal just laughed to herself again.

Belle leans closer to Ben. "Are you sure we can't fix that?"

"We try to fix her humor, she'll shut down ours," said Ben.

"Point taken," replied Belle.

"I can hear you. Ben's sitting next to me," said Mal.

Belle just adjusted her hair, trying to act innocent.

"If I'm gonna be fighting with you guys, can I at least have my armor back?" requested Evelyn.

"No chance," said Carlos.

Mal says to Evelyn, "Sure."

"Oh, come on!" Carlos exclaimed.

* * *

Less than fifty minutes later, Mal and Evelyn, wearing her armor and helmet, arrive in Sleeping Beauty's kingdom. The tree army let them pass, following Maleficent's orders. The people in the kingdom were a little frightened at the sight of Evelyn.

"Seriously, did you have to put on the helmet?" Mal asked Evelyn.

"I would prefer to keep every part of my body protected if we're going up against the Mistress of Evil," said Evelyn.

"Believe it or not, you're worse than her," said Mal. "Maybe you're not as experienced as she is in magic, but at least your mind isn't damaged. Well, not as damaged as hers."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," said Evelyn.

"Easy, sister, we're almost there," said Mal, trying to keep Evelyn calm.

They arrived at the castle. The trees escorted them to the balcony on the top floor, where Mal's adoptive parents were having tea with Chad's parents. When the two sorceresses made it to the top, they found the grown-ups tied up and guarded by two trees. Maleficent was sitting down having tea, while a still-unconscious Sofia is tied up in a chair.

"Well, nice of you to join us for tea," quipped Maleficent.

Evelyn whisper to Mal, "I can see what you mean by 'damaged.'"

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my first child. Evelyn," said Maleficent. "Take that helmet off. I want to see you face-to-face."

Evelyn takes off her helmet.

"Just like Mal. A spitting image of your own mother," said Maleficent.

"Mother would agree," said Aurora.

"Shut up!" yelled Maleficent.

"I want answers, mother," said Mal. "How is Evelyn your daughter, and why have you never told me that I had a sister?"

Maleficent answers. "I gave birth to Evelyn on the exact same day I was booted to the Isle of the Lost. I hid her when I was abducted. I was hoping that even if I was out, my little child will grow up and make the heroes pay for my imprisonment. Unfortunately, she was adopted by a family of goody-goodies."

"Don't speak of my parents that way," said Evelyn.

Mal holds Evelyn back.

Maleficent continues. "When the blue-haired nitwit's trip to the Isle of the Lost led to my freedom from a life of a lizard, I had two intentions in mind. One was revenge on Auradon. The second was finding my daughter. While the first one was in progress, I actually achieved the second. When I found her, she was living happily with farm people. I figured she was lost, so I never confronted her."

"Good thing," replied Mal.

"But who would've thought that a dead family was all that was needed to push her over the edge?" continued Maleficent. "A thirst for blood. An iron stone for a heart. Blowing up the Isle of the Lost without remorse. I've never felt so proud."

"I do feel remorse," said Evelyn. "My family would be disappointed."

"What do you want, mom?" asked Mal. "To destroy us so there's no one standing in your way?"

"Actually, I came here to make a deal," said Maleficent.

"Whatever it is, we're not taking it," said Mal.

"Just hear me out first," said Maleficent. "I spare Aurora, her friends, and the sleeping beauty..."

"Hey, I'm Sleeping Beauty," interrupted Aurora.

With a wave of her staff, Maleficent seals Aurora's lips. She looks back at her children and continues. "I'll spare everyone on this balcony and this kingdom if you accept my offer."

"We're not interested," said Mal.

"I was talking to you, Mal," said Maleficent. "I've seen what's in your mind. I know you want more power. Love may have dominated your heart, but deep inside, you still want more. I can give it to you."

"I can't lie. I do want more," admitted Mal. "But a future with Ben is enough. You can offer me as much power as you want. I'm not accepting this deal."

"In case you were going to say that, I had something else in store," said Maleficent. "I just learned a new trick."

Maleficent waves her scepter left and right. All of a sudden, Evelyn feels something inside her. She collapses and clutches her chest, as her heart was aching.

"What are you doing to her?" asked Mal.

"A little something I call... mind manipulation," said Maleficent.

"But that's impossible. Don't you need specific ingredients to enact that spell?" replied Mal.

"Evelyn has my darkness in her veins. I can control it," explained Maleficent.

Mal kneels down and tries to comfort her sister. "Evelyn, c'mon. Fight it. Your stronger than she is."

"You may not realize it, but I'm trying this on you too," said Maleficent. "But I know it wouldn't work. You have embraced the darkness. Evelyn, on the other hand, has barely scratched the surface."

Evelyn was beginning to feel something consume her from the inside. After a few more seconds, she stands up. Mal looks into her eyes and saw that they were glowing green.

"Um, sis, are you alright?" asked Mal.

Evelyn looks at Mal. Unexpectedly, she smacks her across the face, knocking her down.

"Don't call me that!" yelled Evelyn.

"This isn't you. It's my mother," said Mal, pleading for Evelyn to see the truth. "Snap out of it."

Evelyn walks towards Mal, but Maleficent makes her stop.

"You said it yourself. Death is too good for her," said Maleficent. "Besides, I don't want her to die. If you want someone to kill, try the princess."

Maleficent taps Sofia on the head with her scepter and wakes her up. As Sofia opened her eyes, she found herself tied to a chair. She looks at everyone with a confused look on her face.

"Hi everyone," she greeted with a smile, acting like everything is normal.

"Care to explain why you played dead," demanded Mal.

"She thought that if you thought I died, it would boost your rage for your fight against Evelyn," explained Sofia.

"The worst you've done is scratch her face," commented Maleficent.

"I'm sorry for the secrecy, Mal," apologized Sofia. "On the bright side, I feel great. No more shocks in my skin."

"You should see Carlos. He'll be really happy to see you," said Mal.

"I'm guessing he's devastated again," said Sofia.

"Not as bad as last time," said Mal. "You should really stop sacrificing yourself. You never know when it's really your last minute."

"It's called being a true friend. Willing to sacrifice everything for those you love," said Sofia.

"You've come back from the dead twice. I don't know if Carlos can take this anymore," said Mal. "Why don't you two share your feelings about this recurring theme at the honeymoon?"

"Uh... am I supposed to be laughing?" Sofia did not understand Mal's comment.

Mal rolled her eyes. "I understand sacrifice, Sofia, but if you're dead again, Carlos is never gonna be able to go on with his life."

"He really cares, doesn't he?" asked Sofia.

"I'm surprised you weren't the one Evie tried to set him up with," said Mal. "You have more in common with him than Evie."

"Mal, can we not joke about Carlos' love life?" pleaded Sofia. "We're in a bit of a pickle here."

"I know, but I'm just really mad at you," said Mal. "Why did you agree to this facade?"

"Maleficent threatened my family," answered Sofia. "I wasn't going to risk that."

"Tell that to your white-haired dream boyfriend," joked Mal.

"Mal, please, this kind of humor makes certain people uncomfortable," replied Sofia.

"That's the point," said Mal.

"That's enough," interrupted Maleficent. "Evelyn, away with this princess."

Evelyn draws her sword and walks towards Sofia. Mal gets up and tackles Evelyn. The two sorceresses pound each other as they rolled around the floor. Sofia noticed that everyone's attention was on the fight. She took this opportunity to escape.

She whispers to her amulet, "I wish to be small."

Sofia shrinks in size and jumps off the chair. She uses the potted plants to sneak around everyone and get inside. When she was out of sight, she grows back to her normal size. She started running downstairs, but the front door was guarded by trees, inside and out.

"Evie. Carlos. Anyone..." Sofia whined as she sat on the floor, hoping for a rescue.

Back on the top floor, Mal and Evelyn were still fighting on the ground. Evelyn gets on top of Mal and tries to punch her, but Mal moves her head and Evelyn's fist makes contact with the floor tile, cracking it.

"Careful, those are expensive," said Philip.

"You live in a castle," reminded Charming. "If they break every floor tile on this balcony, you can afford to replace them."

Mal, still lying down, head-butts Evelyn then gets on top of her.

"Snap out of it!" yelled Mal.

"Don't listen to her, Evelyn," said Maleficent.

"That's it!" exclaimed Mal. "I'm out of here."

Mal knocks out Evelyn with a hard punch before teleporting away.

"Why did she leave us?" wondered Cinderella.

"Maybe she's waiting for the right time to rescue us," said Aurora.

"Keep dreaming, Aurora. It's not happening," said Maleficent.

"Maleficent, Princess Sofia has escaped," said Evelyn, who had just woken up from the punch.

"My daughter is certainly a smart girl," complimented Maleficent.

"She's my daughter now," said Aurora.

Maleficent looks at Aurora in the eye and said, "Not for long."

* * *

Mal teleports to the village furniture store, where her friends are. In order to sneak into the kingdom without running into a tree, Evie, Jay, Carlos, and the Auradon kids hid in a truck that was making a delivery to the furniture store. They were asked to stay inside until Mal and Evelyn return.

"Hey, Mal," greeted Ben. "Where's Evelyn?"

"My mom mind-controlled her," answered Mal. "She tried to kill me. Again."

"Did you find Sofia?" asked Carlos.

"Yes, she's fine. She was a hostage, but she disappeared." said Mal. "Jeez, it's like she's your soulmate or something."

Carlos was offended at Mal's joke.

"So, what now?" asked Evie.

"First, I'm gonna lie down," said Mal.

Mal falls back and lies down on a bed.

"We're not supposed to be using those unless we buy them," said Doug.

"I'd skin you alive for saying that, but I'm winded," said Mal.

"Anything else happened?" asked Jay.

"My mom made me an offer that I definitely could refuse," said Mal. "Oh, and mom, dad, and Chad's parents are hostages."

"Well, don't just lie there!" exclaimed Audrey. "We have to do something."

"Wait, if Evelyn is working with your mother, she'll tell her where we are," realized Carlos.

"Relax, snowball," said Mal. "I never told Evelyn where the truck will drop you guys off."

"You... didn't trust her with the info?" asked Carlos, smiling.

Mal smiled at Carlos.

"Mal, focus!" interrupted Audrey. "Mom and dad are about to die. Can we prioritize their rescue, please?"

"My parents are in trouble, too," said Chad.

Lonnie puts her hands on Chad's shoulder, trying to keep him calm.

"What are we going to do now?" asked Ben.

"Surrender," answered Mal.

Everyone looks at Mal, surprised.

"Kidding," said Mal. "I have an even stupider idea. No more sneaking. Let's attack."

"What?" Everyone reacted.

Before anyone can protest, Mal snaps her fingers and teleports everyone to the front of the castle.

"Are you nuts?" Audrey criticized Mal.

Mal slowly turns and look at Audrey. "Yes, I am."

Up on the top floor balcony, Maleficent sees her daughter and her friends at the front door. She orders all the trees inside the castle to head outside. The trees all exited the castle, giving Sofia a chance to get out unnoticed. When she did, she saw that the tree army was surrounding Mal and her friends. Being the selfless and considerate person she has always been (or been mostly), she plans to rescue them. She was about to sneak up until Maleficent and Evelyn walked out of the front door.

"An attack, Mal? That's not very wise," said Maleficent.

"Where's my parents?" Audrey demanded.

"And mine?" Chad also demanded an answer.

"Still upstairs. With a couple of my trees watching them," answered Maleficent. "We can end this if Mal accepts our deal."

"Even if I do, you'll still win," said Mal.

Mal lights up her hands and pounds the ground, causing the Earth to turn the trees inanimate.

"You and me. One last round," declared Mal.

Maleficent snaps her fingers and turns to Evelyn. "Dear daughter, take care of your sister, but don't kill her. You can kill her friends, though."

Evelyn obeys.

"Guys, run," said Mal.

"Not a chance," said Ben.

Evelyn draws her sword and activates it.

Jay tells Carlos, "Next time you add an upgrade to a sword, can it be something non-lethal?"

"I'm a tinkerer, not a weapon specialist," said Carlos. "I just do what I can do."

Evelyn sends an electric wave at the teenagers, but Mal blocks it with a magical shield. She adds power and reflects it back at Evelyn, shocking her. Maleficent summons half of the tree army from the village to the castle. The VKs and the Auradon kids spread out. Mal and Evelyn engaged in another fight while Maleficent just stood and watched.

Unbeknownst to her, Sofia was sneaking up behind her. Sofia has always wondered why magical beings cannot sense the amulet's magic, but as long as it keeps her from being spotted, she can pull off her sneak attack. She takes off her amulet, taps it, and carefully lifts it towards the scepter. The amulet silently absorbs the magic of the scepter, but before it could finish, Maleficent turns around, causing Sofia to step back.

"I may not be able to sense your amulet, but I can sense the magic in my scepter," said Maleficent.

"I'm done being your tool, Maleficent," said Sofia bravely.

"In that case, maybe it's time for you to taste death again," said Maleficent.

Maleficent fires a magic blast from her scepter, but when it hit Sofia, nothing happened. Her amulet was glowing.

"Your scepter is only half-full of power," said Sofia. "I used my amulet to protect myself from the magic it absorbed."

"Clever girl," complimented Maleficent. "I can see why Mal was interested in it once."

Meanwhile, Mal and Evelyn are still fighting. Mal managed to take away Evelyn's sword and tosses it to Carlos. The two girls just engaged in another fist fight. Getting overwhelmed by Evelyn's iron fists, Mal ignites her hands and blocks Evelyn's punch, destroying her vambrace. Mal then punches Evelyn in the stomach, destroying the armor covering it. She kicks Evelyn down to the ground.

"Snap out of it, Evelyn!" yelled Mal. "You're stronger than this. You can fight it. You're not some puppet."

Evelyn started screaming, trying to fight the mind control, but she couldn't.

"Don't make me do this," pleaded Mal.

"You want to put me out of my misery? Then you're gonna have to do what's necessary," said Evelyn.

Evelyn hits Mal with a fireball before getting back on her feet.

"That's it?" mocked Mal. "Why don't you show me some fire?"

"You want fire, I'll give it," replied Evelyn.

Evelyn spins three times with her arms out, creating a giant ball of fire and sends it Mal. Mal tries to block it, but gets hit and falls down, slightly burned. Evelyn creates two fire balls and throws them in the air. They collide and form a ring of fire. Evelyn lowers it and surrounds Mal. The fire begins to spin faster as Mal begins to lose her strength to stand up, overwhelmed by the extreme heat. Evelyn claps her hands together and the ring of fire closes on Mal, causing an explosion. Evelyn clears the smoke and saw Mal unconscious.

Obeying her order not to kill Mal, Evelyn just takes a look at what else is happening. Everyone just kept on running from the trees or tricking them into hitting each other. Sofia was cornered by Maleficent, but Carlos gets in between both of them.

"Hi," greeted Carlos.

"Hi," greeted Sofia.

"You owe me an explanation after this," said Carlos.

"Agreed," replied Sofia.

Carlos activates his sword and tries to zap Maleficent, but she teleports away from the electric beam. Instead, the beam hit Jay, causing him to fall. A tree was about to strike him with a spear, but Carlos cuts off its arm before shocking the warthog it was riding on. Jay gets up.

"Not cool, dude," he said to Carlos.

"It was accident," said Carlos in his defense.

"Carlos!" called out Sofia.

Carlos turns around and saw Sofia in a cage made of thorns.

"Put down the sword or you're going to have to feel the pain of losing your precious princess again," threatened Maleficent.

Carlos did as Maleficent said. He puts down the sword then puts his hands behind his head.

Meanwhile, Evelyn was still watching the fight from afar, but was suddenly hit from behind by a magic blast. Mal has awoken, and she was really mad. Just as Evelyn was about to get, Mal punches her back down. She picks her up by the neck and gives her stare. Evelyn eyes closed due to a scarred soul. Mal drops her.

"That's enough!" yelled Maleficent.

She slams her scepter on the ground and casts a freezing, freezing everyone except Evelyn and her army.

"Even when I try to settle things in a civil way, I get a playhouse riot," said Maleficent. "My army, it's time to move to Plan B."

* * *

Maleficent teleports everyone to into the village.

"Hello, everyone!" she started. "I'm really sorry for this, but I'm afraid I have to make an example of you. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm not sorry." She started laughing to herself. "Onward, my army! Slay everyone!"

Everyone started running for their lives as Maleficent's tree army started rampaging through the streets. Meanwhile, Maleficent walks up to her frozen daughter. She decides to give her a pinch on the nose. Being frozen, Mal can only feel exasperated on the inside.

"I hope you're watching, Mal," said Maleficent.

The tree army started slaughtering anyone in their path. Mal was forced to watch as innocent people get killed left and right, including the children. She tried to move, but her mother's spell was too strong. She was, however, able to open her mouth.

"What do I have to do to make you stop?" she said.

"You can accept my deal and you can move the rest of you," quipped Maleficent.

"All the power in the world is nothing compared to family," said Mal.

"I gave you plenty of chances for us to be family, but you always say no," replied Maleficent.

"You actually care about me, don't you?" questioned Mal.

"If I didn't, I would've killed you a long time ago," said Maleficent. "You'll always be mommy's nasty little girl."

Evelyn, meanwhile, was watching the slaughter-fest as well. She flinches every time a spear hits an innocent person. She wanted to do something, but she her mind was still controlled by Maleficent.

"I hope you're enjoying this, Evelyn," said Maleficent. "I'm hoping you'll be an even more supportive daughter than your sister."

"You're manipulating my mind. That's not a way to earn my respect," said Evelyn.

"You really sound like your sister," said Maleficent sarcastically.

Evelyn looks at her mother for a moment before looking back at the chaos. "Mal did say I'm more dangerous than you."

"Now, why would she say that?" asked Maleficent, feeling offended.

"For one thing, I'm sane," said Evelyn.

"And how does that help?" asked Maleficent with sarcasm.

Evelyn pushes down Maleficent with a magic blast and releases Mal and her friends from their frozen state.

"First of all, thanks," said Mal. "Second..." Mal punches Evelyn in the face. "I hate you so much."

Evelyn clutches her face. "I don't know whether to hug you or choke you. You knew I was under mind control."

"I know, but I just wanted to hit you," said Mal.

"You already beat me back at the castle!" retorted Evelyn.

"Guys," interrupted Evie. "People are still dying. You can argue later."

After Evelyn frees Sofia from her thorn cage, everyone had to spread out, but in pairs. Jay was with Carlos. Ben was with Audrey. Chad was with Doug. Lonnie was with Jane. Evie accompanies Sofia. They tried to keep the army at bay and protect the people. Mal and Evelyn stayed where they are to face their mother.

Maleficent gets up and looks at Evelyn. "How did you..."

"Like I said, I'm sane. It's that kind of mind that can beat someone as crazy as you," said Evelyn.

"So, it's mother versus her two daughters," said Maleficent.

"Enough talk," said Evelyn.

Evelyn sends a fire blast at Maleficent, but she swats it away with her staff. Mal repeatedly fires magic blasts, but Maleficent keeps blocking them with her magic. Maleficent fires a green magic blast, but the two sisters dived out of the way in opposite directions. Mal and Evelyn fire magical blasts at Maleficent. Maleficent tries to shield herself, but the combination of her daughter's magic is too strong. Evelyn added some fire with actual fire. The combination blows up Maleficent's magic shield, sending the villainess crashing to the side of a building.

Mal looks at her sister. "Nice one."

She holds out her fist. Evelyn takes a look at it for a moment before slowly fist-bumping with her sister.

"But it's not over yet. Stay focused," said Evelyn.

Maleficent gets up and fires a blast at Evelyn, but she swats it away like a fly and pretends to yawn. Evelyn grabs both her ropes and lights them up with fire. Evelyn uses both ropes to wrangle up Maleficent and pulls her closer with force. Before Maleficent can crash into her daughters, Mal hits her mother in the face with a magic blast, knocking her back again.

"Teamwork!" exclaimed Mal, punching Evelyn on the shoulder.

"Hey, guys," greeted Ben, who just happened to be a few feet away from them.

"Why aren't you helping Audrey?" questioned Mal.

"I was, but seeing you two work together is too good to look away from," said Ben. "It's nice to see you two finally acting like sisters."

"Wha... how did you know that?" asked Mal.

"I overheard," answered Ben. "Did you really have to keep this a secret?"

"It was meant to be a surprise," said Mal. "Kinda like how I surprised Audrey when I told her that she and I are sisters."

"I'm getting sick of playing these games," said Maleficent.

The danger is elevated when Maleficent turns into a dragon. She takes flight and started setting everything on fire.

"Seriously, mother!" complained Mal. "Ben, keep evacuating as much people as you can. Don't try to help me."

"Why?" asked Ben.

"The lives of your people are more important than mine," said Mal before running away.

Ben was about to pursue her, until he heard a scream. He turned around and saw a little boy next to his dead mother. Before the tree can kill the boy, Ben grabs a pepper spray from a nearby restaurant and releases pepper on the warthog. It sneezes and causes the tree to fall off. Ben tends to the little boy.

"I'm sorry," he said. He looks around and calls out, "Someone help me."

A couple of bystanders helped Ben move the mother's body while Ben carries the child somewhere safe.

Meanwhile, Maleficent was still burning the village. Mal catches up to her and catches her attention with a fireball.

"Leave these people alone, mother!" she yelled. "Your fight is with me!"

Maleficent lands and looks at Mal in the eye. Mal unleashes her stare and slightly disorients the dragon. Before Maleficent can attack, she spots Carlos from the corner of her eye. She walks away from Mal and approaches the boy.

"Carlos!" yelled Mal.

Carlos turns to Mal. "What did I do..." Carlos paused when a huge shadow capture his attention. It was Maleficent. "Um, hello, Ms. Maleficent...?"

Maleficent was about to chomp on Carlos, but was interrupted by a grapefruit to the snout. It was Jay.

"Seriously? Again?" criticized Carlos.

"Do you want to be eaten?" retorted Jay.

Maleficent ignores the bickering and uses her snout to push Carlos towards a window, smashing it as the boy fell on a table, ruining a family's lunch. Carlos walks outside to receives an apple to the face. He say Jay tossing fruit at a tree, who keeps whacking the projectiles away with its spear. Maleficent stomps her way towards the white-haired boy. Carlos started running away.

"Dude! We're not supposed to abandon each other!" yelled Jay.

Carlos just continued running. Maleficent breathes fire at him. The blast missed him by a few inches, but the impact causes him to fly in the air and crash into a fruit stand. Luckily, Evie was nearby and offers him a hand.

"At this rate, I might as well go back to Mount Olympus," said Carlos sarcastically.

"Why is she after you?" asked Evie.

"Mal killed her when I was dead. She probably wants to see Mal in full rage again," said Carlos.

"Well, she does love you like a brother," said Evie, petting Carlos on the head.

"Hey, hey, watch the hair," said Carlos, keeping Evie's hand away from her.

Their moment was interrupted by another fire blast. The blast blows them away from each other. Mal was running towards Carlos, but is smacked aside by Maleficent. Making sure that Mal was watching, Maleficent breathes as much fire as she can at Carlos. Before Carlos can get singed, Evelyn steps in the way and blocks the fire with a magical shield.

"You're... saving me?" Carlos was clearly surprised.

"What does it look like?" replied Evelyn with sarcasm. "Now, go!"

Evelyn's shield was beginning to break.

"You need to save yourself," said Carlos.

"Don't make me hurt you," threatened Evelyn. "Go!"

After further hesitation, Carlos runs away. Mal was running towards Evelyn to help her, but before she can make it, Evelyn's shield breaks down and gets hit with the fire, resulting in an explosion blowing Mal back. The rest of the teenagers stopped on their tracks when they heard it. They saw smoke in the sky.

Mal gets up and runs towards Evelyn. She was hurt bad and wasn't moving.

"Do me a favor. Don't be dead," pleaded Mal.

Evelyn coughed and opened her eyes.

"Oh, thank goodness," said Mal with relief.

"Your welcome," said Evelyn through the pain.

"You saved Carlos. That was nice of you," said Mal.

"I'm sure Eddy would love that," said Evelyn, smiling.

"Don't worry. You're gonna be fine," said Mal.

"I will be," said Evelyn. "I'm going to see my family again."

"No, I can save you," said Mal.

Evelyn puts her hand on Mal's and said, "You... already did... sis."

Evelyn's eyes closed. Mal tries to wake her up by shaking her, but Evelyn wouldn't move. Mal knew what this means. Her eyes started to water and a tear rains down her face. She gently lets go of Evelyn and tells her, "Rest in peace, sister."

Mal looks back at her mother, who walks away to cause more trouble. Mal looks around her. More innocents are getting killed. It hurts her to watch it. Once again, reality is beginning to hit her in the head. She curls her hands into a fist as anger became present on her face.

Ben runs around the corner to see Mal next to her deceased sister. He approaches her and hugs her.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"She died a hero," said Mal. "Now, I'm gonna get payback on my mother."

"Since I can't talk you out of it, what are you gonna do?" asked Ben.

"Audrey's father once defeated mom with a sword enchanted by light magic," remembered Mal. "I just need a sword."

"Carlos left his sword back at the castle," said Ben.

"Keep saving these people," ordered Mal. "I'll be right back."

Mal disappears.

* * *

Back at the castle, Mal found Carlos' sword and picks it up.

"Beautiful," she said. "Alright, here goes nothing." She touches the blade and says, " _Like the sun that shines so bright, my weapon shall unleash a ray of light. Evil shall fear thy blade on sight, I unleash my power with its full might._ "

Mal's spell causes the sword to glow with light magic.

"Time to finish this once and for all."

Mal teleports back to the village.

* * *

By the time Mal returned, the village looked empty. She did she her mother's tail sticking out from behind a building. When she arrived at her location, she saw the tree army surrounding Ben and the rest of her friends, along with a few children. Chad saw Mal, but she gestured him to keep quiet. Chad continues to keep his eyes on the children.

"Hey, Maleficent!" yelled Chad, stepping forth. "You want fresh blood, spill mine!"

"Chad, what are you doing?" asked Lonnie.

"I'm giving you guys the chance to get out," said Chad.

"No way I'm letting you die,' said Lonnie.

Chad ignores Lonnie and steps closer to Maleficent. Lonnie runs towards him and wraps her arm around his.

"You're not gonna sacrifice yourself alone," said Lonnie.

Touched, Chad kisses Lonnie. The children all said "aww," touched by the sight, except for one little girl, whose eyes were closed by Jay. Disgusted, Maleficent rolls her eyes. She didn't notice Mal coming from her right. Mal sneaks up towards her mother, readying her word.

"Hey, mother!" she yelled.

Maleficent saw Mal from her peripheral view. Mal immediately stabs her mother in the heart with her sword. The light magic from the sword begins to destroy the dark magic from within Maleficent. The dragon roars in pain until it falls. Mal looks at her mother in the eye. Maleficent looks at her daughter. She was clearly trying to tell her something.

Mal puts her hand on her mother's snout and said, "I know. You do love me. I wish I can say the same, but I'd be lying. I'm sorry."

Everyone watches as Maleficent disappears and turns into ash, leaving only the sword. The entire tree army becomes inanimate and the warthogs disappear into thin air. Back at the castle, Aurora, Philip, Cinderella, and Charming were released from their magical bonds as the two trees next to them just collapsed and became real trees.

Mal picks up the sword and gives to Carlos.

"I think it's best to just get rid of it," said Carlos. "It's over. There's no one left to fight."

"Wouldn't you rather keep it as a memory?" asked Mal.

"I don't need a memory," said Carlos. "Besides, this thing represents something I'm not. A weapons maker. True, Evelyn made it, but she stole the idea from me. I'm an inventor. I create to improve the world, not to harm others."

Carlos gives the sword back to Mal. She ignites her hands and snaps the sword into two. The kids said, "wow."

"Finally, it's over," said Audrey.

"True," replied Mal. "We won, but at a cost."

About a quarter of the village was killed in the attack. Mal didn't want to look at the end result of the carnage, but she did. Ben walks towards her and gives her a hug, trying to comfort her. Mal buries her head on Ben's shoulder as she hugged him back.

"Hate to ruin the moment, but where are the other people? Wasn't this village just filled with panic before I left?" asked Mal.

"We managed to evacuate them out of the village," said Ben.

"In just a minute while I was gone?" asked Mal, confused.

"The point is everyone's safe," said Ben.

"Except for Evelyn," said Mal with sorrow.

"She'll be glad to know that her sacrifice meant something," said Ben.

Mal smiled at Ben's words.

"Alright, kids, let's take you back to your parents," said Lonnie, beginning to escort the kids out of the area.

Evie approaches Mal and gives her a hug. Carlos joined in as well.

"Thanks guys," said Mal.

Carlos saw Jay just standing there, watching them.

"Dude, get in here," he said to the ex-thief. "Mal just lost a friend. She needs her friends."

"I know and I'm sorry," said Jay. "It' just that... dad's gone. You know who's responsible for it. It's just hard for me to..."

"She was my sister, Jay," said Mal all of a sudden.

Jay, along with the Auradon kids (except Ben), were shocked at what Mal said.

"I'll explain later, but what I said is true," said Mal.

"Now, come here, you rattlesnake," said Evie.

"Alright," said Jay.

Jay joins the group hug. Ben begins leading his friends out of the village, giving the four villain kids some alone time.

* * *

Meanwhile, Evelyn wakes up and found herself on a mountain near the clouds. Remembering the stories she was told as a child, she knew exactly where she was.

"Mount Olympus," she said.

"Evelyn."

Evelyn turns around as soon as a familiar voice spoke of her name.

"Eddy?"

The aforementioned boy runs towards his big sister. Evelyn catches him and gives him a big hug. Evelyn's smile grew bigger when she saw her parents coming towards her. She carried Eddy as she walks towards them.

"Mom? Dad? Is it really you?"

"Yes, sweetie," answered Maria.

"Welcome to Mount Olympus," said Jon.

"I can't believe I'm even here," said Evelyn.

Maria puts her hand on her daughter's shoulder and said, "We know what you did. Zeus showed us everything."

"Then why am I here?" asked Evelyn.

"You've been a good girl your entire life, Evelyn," said Jon. "Not to mention, you showed an act of heroism and selflessness."

"Well, I don't care where I am," said Evelyn. "At least you're not mad."

"You're our daughter, Evelyn," said Maria, hugging her daughter. "We love you no matter what. You will always be our little Fire Ranger."

Evelyn's life may have come to an end, but she had a good run. She may have became what she hated and destroyed an entire island, but she turned over a new leaf, sacrificed herself to save her sister's friend, and her soul is reunited with her family. She can't think of a better closing to her story.

 **That ends the story... of Evelyn. The story is not over yet. All that's left is one chapter and an epilogue. Anyway, hope you like this.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	41. Closing the Story

**Only two chapters to go. Here's the new one.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

 **Warning: Drama.**

 **Note: _Italics_ mean narration.**

After the chaos that occurred in Rosenvale, the survivors were in mourning for their lost ones. The villain kids, on the other hand, had a private funeral at the Broken Bridge. Gravestones carved with the names of history's most notorious villains were placed next to the water, and their respective children were there to mourn. Maleficent's gravestone, however, was never made, due to her daughter's bitterness towards her, not to mention she doesn't love her own mother. Still, Mal keeps her the memory of her mother strong with a tattoo version of her spray painting of Maleficent on her right shoulder. She did honor her sister by not only approving of her funeral, but also telling all of Auradon about her sacrifice. Evelyn's funeral was held in the field where her farm house once was.

Meanwhile, Ben offered to pay for the damages to Sleeping Beauty's village, and he wasn't taking no for an answer. He was also scheduled for a public speech, addressing his kingdom about the recent events. He was bombarded by questions. After calming down the public, he spoke.

"I know that Auradon has never been the same since I made my first proclamation. Ultimately, I am truly to blame for, but this isn't about pointing the blame. This is about adjustment. All I wanted was for heroes and villains to live together in peace. It's safe to say my dream just sank to the bottom of the ocean, along with the Isle of the Lost. I am truly sorry for everything that has happened. But Mal has told me something. This isn't a world of fairytales anymore. It's time we embrace reality. Losing those you love is hard, but it's a part of life. As I've said before, the best way to cope with loss is to finish what that someone you love started. They may never come back, but I'm sure they'll be proud of you if you do something in their name. I can't promise you that our troubles our over, but I can promise you that I will always be there for my people. So far, being your king has been both an honor and a big responsibility. I have an entire kingdom on my shoulders and I try my best to be the king that you all need and deserve. I may not have always come through for my people, but I'm not stepping off the throne anytime soon. Now that Maleficent is gone for good, I can focus on rebuilding Auradon. Even if my own people are gonna keep doubting me, I'm still gonna be who I am. The son of the royal couple that made this kingdom a paradise."

More questions were being asked, but Ben was already walking back to the castle.

* * *

A few days have past since the Rosenvale disaster, but everyone was doing exactly what Ben has told them. Continue their lives. However, Carlos is still suffering from everything that's occurred during the past week. He and Evie are on the verge of breaking up, but he didn't want it. He needed a reason to keep going. Luckily for him, the person he needs to talk to is still standing and breathing.

Carlos visits Enchancia to see Sofia. He brought Dude with him because Evie was busy helping Mal with picking a college.

Baileywick escorts Carlos to Sofia's room. Before he can knock, they can hear singing inside. When it stopped, Baileywick knocks.

"Sofia, you have a visitor," he said.

Sofia opens the door and sees Carlos.

"Hey, Carlos," she greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"I really need your help. Again," answered Carlos.

"Well, you're always welcome here," said Sofia. "Come on in. You too, Dude."

Carlos enters Sofia's room and they both sit on the bed.

"Why'd you bring Dude with you? Don't you usually trust Evie to look after him while you're gone?" asked Sofia.

"She's helping Mal pick a college," said Carlos. "They're graduating in a few weeks."

"What about you?" asked Sofia. "You were gone while you were still a sophomore."

"Ben's giving me a chance to advance," said Carlos. "I have test coming up this summer. If I pass, I can skip junior year and get back on track at senior level."

"Well, good luck," said Sofia. "So, what do you need?"

Carlos stays quiet for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts together. "Do you ever get that feeling that... after you just came back to life... you feel... you know, like something's not right?"

"Yeah, I do," answered Sofia.

"Evie says I'm suffering the same thing," said Carlos. "I don't know what to do."

"Carlos," started Sofia. "I'm afraid you've gone to the wrong person. Evie was the one who helped me get over that. She's the one you need right now. Not me."

"What did she say to you?" asked Carlos.

"To move forward. Continue you life," answered Sofia. "If you had plans for your life, just go back to it."

Carlos once again remains quiet to think. "I was only supposed to be here for seven days. Now that I'm really back, I just can't process all of this."

"What is your problem? Your real problem?" asked Sofia.

"I... I really don't know," said Carlos.

"I'm just gonna take a guess here," said Sofia. "You're happy to be back and back together with Evie, but you're afraid, afraid of what death has turned you into."

"I'm still the same," said Carlos.

"But not entirely," said Sofia. "You've become braver and more grounded, but your mind is still trapped in a grim reality."

"Do you have any advice for me?" asked Carlos.

"Well, let me ask you something. Have you forgotten the past?" asked Sofia.

"I-I think so," answered Carlos.

"For someone who lives by a simple line about the past, you sound awfully haunted by the future," said Sofia. "If you're so worried about the future, there really is only one solution. Now, repeat after me. The present is the future."

"The present is the future," repeated Carlos.

"Try to shut out the rain clouds in your brain. Stay positive, put on a smile, make most of every day, and replace those rain clouds with a rainbow," said Sofia.

Carlos stared out the window for a moment. He looks back at Sofia as his lips curved into a smile.

"So, basically, you're saying that I should make my dreams come true right now," guessed Carlos.

"Your dream is to start a family with Evie, correct?" asked Sofia.

Carlos nods.

"Then stop worrying about what dying has done to you, and focus on what you want to do," said Sofia.

Carlos' smile grew bigger as he thought about Sofia's words. The young woman's knowledge never ceases to amaze him. "Can I stay for some tea?"

"I'll call Baileywick," replied Sofia.

* * *

Back in Castle Beast, in Mal's guest bedroom, Mal was sitting up-side down on the couch, napping, Evie was applying make-up in front of a mirror, with a sad look on her face, and Jay was shooting crumpled papers into a garbage can. Evie and Jay just returned from the funeral, but were still in sorrow. When they arrived at Mal's room, they just saw her sleeping, so they didn't think she would mind if they stayed.

A knock on the door is heard and Mal finally wakes up. She gets off the couch in spectacular fashion and answers the door. It was Ben.

"Hi." They greeted each other simultaneously.

"Heard what you said to the public. Those were some pretty deep words," said Mal.

"I admit. I'm beginning to doubt myself as king, but I'm not going to let my people keep me down," said Ben.

"So what brings you here?" asked Mal.

"I just need to talk to you. Alone," said Ben.

Mal turns around and looks at her friends. "Don't break anything."

"This isn't even your room," said Evie.

"Yeah, it's the guest bedroom," said Jay.

"I'm warning you two," said Mal, doing the "I'm watching you" gesture.

Mal slowly leaves the room. When Mal was out of sight, Evie and Jay immediately sit on the couch and turn on the TV. They were watching a show for kids, so they watch it whenever Mal is not around.

"Where's Carlos?" asked Jay. "He's gonna miss this."

"Lumiere told me that he went to Enchancia," said Evie. "Good for him. Sofia helped him once, she can help him again."

* * *

Ben took Mal outside. They started walking down the road. The sight of beautiful flowers along the sides of the road both nauseated and bewitched Mal. She looks at her boyfriend, who was strangely quiet. She decided to break the silence.

"Where are we going?" asked Mal.

"Nowhere," said Ben. "I just want to talk."

"About...?" asked Mal.

"About my place in this kingdom," answered Ben.

"You didn't lie to the people, did you?" asked Mal. "Are you actually giving up the crown?"

"No," answered Ben. "But I'm not so sure."

"Ben, you know you're a good king," said Mal. "You said you weren't gonna let the people bring you down."

"I know what I said, but..." Ben paused.

"Ben, you made the right choice inviting us here," said Mal. "True, hundreds of people are now on Mount Olympus thanks to my mother and we turned Evelyn from a sweet farm girl to a psycho, but that doesn't mean the kingdom has to give up hope."

"I know," said Ben.

"Tell me the truth, Ben. Your people are making you feel this way, am I right?" asked Mal.

"Maybe," answered Ben. "Yes. It's just that... as king, it's my duty to serve my people and make sure happiness still surrounds all of Auradon, but as of late, things have been difficult."

"Ben, if you step down, who's gonna rule the kingdom?" asked Mal. "I'm sure your parents don't want to get back in your shoes."

"I'm not saying I'm stepping down," said Ben.

"But you're considering it," guessed Mal.

"Until I come to a final decision, it's just a thought for now," said Ben.

"I can't let you," said Mal. "Don't say I can't stop you, because I can and I will."

"Is it strange that one of the reasons I love you is because you're hard-headed?" asked Ben.

"Well, I am unique," said Mal.

"You truly are," said Ben.

"Getting back on topic," interrupted Mal. "You can't give up the crown. You're the king that Auradon needs. You've done so much good for them."

Ben smiled a bit, but he drops it fast.

"Even if inviting me and my friends here was a bad idea, what does your heart tell you?" asked Mal.

"That I made the right choice," answered Ben.

"Then forget about what the people say. Just do what you do. You're Ben. King Ben," said Mal. "The man who stole my heart. Me, the daughter of Maleficent. If you can make me melt with love, then you can do anything. You can show these people why you're the son of Belle and Beast, why you deserve to be their king."

"Well, I want to make my people happy," said Ben. "But I don't need to prove anything. I just need to do what's best for my people."

"I think I know what you need," said Mal.

Ben looks at Mal.

"A sign," said Mal. "That you deserve to be the king to all these people. You just have to be patient."

"I guess we're both looking for one," mentioned Ben.

"Yeah, well, I'm not desperate to find the sign right away," said Mal. "Just don't step down, Ben. No one in this kingdom is more deserving of the throne than you."

"What about you?" Ben said all of a sudden.

Mal looked at Ben, surprised.

"If I was stepping down, I was thinking of leaving you in charge," said Ben.

"Ben, that's..." Mal was lost for words. "I mean... that's a heavy responsibility. I don't think I'm qualified."

"Mal, you don't need royal manners or etiquette to be qualified," said Ben. "I've seen you grow and change since you came here. You're wise, strong-willed, and you have a big heart. You're a natural-born leader. I know you can do it."

"But... it's just not the time yet," said Mal. "I would prefer the two of us to be running this kingdom side by side rather than just carrying this land on my back alone."

"Do you really believe I can fix everything?" asked Ben.

"You fixed me," reminded Mal.

Mal gives Ben a kiss on the cheek. The two looked at each other's eyes and smiled. Ben was already beginning to feel silly about thinking about giving up the crown. In his heart, he knows he has already found the sign that tells him he deserves to be king. It was Mal's faith in him.

"I never got to ask. How are you feeling?" asked Ben.

"Still in pain, but I can get through it," said Mal.

"I know. I also wish that Evelyn was still here to be part of our family," said Ben.

"But I'm sure she and her family are reunited on Mount Olympus," said Mal.

* * *

After Evie and Jay were finished watching their program, they left Mal's room. Jay went to see Audrey, while Evie retreated to her own guest bedroom. Later that day, Mrs. Potts gave Evie a letter from Carlos. It told her to meet him at his secret hideout at the park. She takes a limo to the park and runs towards the falls. She jumps from rock to rock and jumps into the waterfall, getting her hair wet in the process, but she didn't care. She found Carlos sitting down with Dude in his arms.

"Hi," greeted Carlos.

"Hey, you," greeted Evie.

"C'mon, sit down," said Carlos.

Evie sits down next to Carlos and pets Dude.

"So, how did it go with Sofia?" asked Evie.

"Swell," answered Carlos.

"So, what do you say? Are we breaking up or not?" asked Evie.

"No, we're not," answered Carlos.

Evie smiled.

"I was just... so afraid for our future after I told you about my secret," said Carlos. "Death has really taken a toll on me, but Sofia told me that I shouldn't let it bother me. I should just focus on what I want, and what I want... is you."

Evie's smile grew wider.

"I'm glad," she said. "It's just too bad that I'm going to college soon and you're still in high school."

"Well, we still have an entire summer to spend time with each other," said Carlos.

"I'll savor every second of it," said Evie.

"By the way. I wanted to show you something," said Carlos.

He gives Dude to his girlfriend while he takes something out of his backpack. It was a silver ball the size of a pool ball.

"Another paint bomb?" questioned Evie. "But the war's over."

"It's not a bomb," said Carlos. "Just watch."

Carlos activates it and rolls it on the ground. Two holes opened and the ball started spinning, spraying sparkling dust everywhere. Evie smells the air and the look on her face tells Carlos that she loves the smell. Not only did she enjoy the smell, but she enjoyed the sight. The entire hideout looks like the sky but pink and the sparkles acted like stars.

"It smells wonderful," said Evie. "What do you need it for?"

"You never know when you need it," said Carlos.

"Well, now was certainly the right time," said Evie.

Evie sees a sparkle floating her way and she blows it. A sparkle lands on Dude's nose. He shakes it off. The two lovers laughed at the sight of this.

"So, how are you holding up?" asked Carlos.

"Trying me best," replied Evie.

Carlos puts his arm around Evie and hugs her.

"I miss my mom, too," said Carlos.

"I have to honest. I'm surprised," said Evie. "After all she's done to you, you still love her."

"I don't love her," said Carlos. "But I do care about her."

"Well, I loved my mother, no matter what," said Evie.

Carlos smiled a little.

"But I'm not gonna let my grief ruin my future," said Evie. "I still have a great life here in Auradon. I have my friends. I have you."

"Together 'til the end," said Carlos.

Evie and Carlos leaned towards each other and kissed. It was cut short when Dude started barking.

"I don't think he like seeing this," said Evie.

Carlos takes out a handkerchief from his backpack and uses it as a blindfold for Dude, so he can't see. Evie laughed a little at the sight of this.

"Shall we continue?" asked Carlos.

Evie replied by grabbing Carlos' face and kisses him. Carlos puts his hand on Evie's cheek as he deepens the kiss. Dude couldn't see. He can still smell, but he couldn't see. He started pacing around until he accidentally bumps into a stone wall. Feeling a little dizzy from the collision, he decided to take another nap. Evie and Carlos, meanwhile, were still busy with their kissing session. Evie's phone started to ring. Instead of answering it, Evie, still kissing Carlos, picks it up and throws it away.

* * *

Mal was at the top floor balcony of the castle, calling someone. However, the receiver isn't picking it up. She cancels the call.

"I'm guessing Evie's having another session with her white-haired de Vil."

Mal decided to sit on the balustrade as she stared at the sunset.

 _"Ever since I was born, I thought my destiny was to become like my mother, but coming to Auradon has helped me see my true destiny. Being bad may be my birthright, but it's not what I want to be. I wanted to be good. I wanted to change my ways. I wanted to be with Ben. The way the world works today, it's never that simple. A lot of crazy, crazy things happened. Evie took a journey to the Isle, which helped my mother out of her reptilian skin. I discovered that my blood's color is black. I killed my own friend, then brought her back to life. I actually traveled through time. I met Merlin the Wizard himself on a strange island. I sacrificed myself to save billions of lives, only to survive. I helped turn my sister, who I never knew I even had, from a happy farm girl to a psycho. I did help her, and she did die a hero. And on top of the iceberg, I destroyed my mother. Twice. If I had to pick a title for my story, I'd call it 'The Strange Life of Mal.' But I think I'll stick with 'Descendants.' Despite everything that's happened recently, things are looking bright going forward. Still, I wish I could've saved Evelyn._ _She would've loved to be part of our family. But at least she taught me something. Remember what I said about the kind of fire that burns in order to build? Evelyn helped me see that. What kind of fire is it? Fire in the soul."_

 **Chapter 41. Finished. All that's left is the epilogue.**

 **Leave a review. Please.**


	42. Epilogue

**Here is the epilogue (the last chapter of the story). It's been a lot of fun, but this is where it ends. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading. Please.**

Weeks have passed since the final defeat of Maleficent in the kingdom of Rosenvale. The rebuilding of the kingdom is nearly complete and the people are beginning to regret their doubting of Ben's capabilities as king. A big reason for this is support from his girlfriend, Mal. From the repairs of Rosenvale to the care for orphans and childless parents, Auradon is beginning to see the daylight once again.

The end of the school year is coming and that means it was time for both Ben's 18th birthday and his second anniversary as king, which are both on the same day. A party is thrown in the castle. Lots of people attended. Lumiere and Cogsworth were tasked with keeping Ben out of the ballroom until Mal summons them. When the king arrived at his party, there was nothing but smiles, laughs, and birthday treats.

While Snow White and the politicians interview Ben, Audrey decided to have a chat with her "sister".

"So, Mal, how's Ben?" she asked.

"It's been fantastic," answered Mal. "Between helping him with the kingdom and spending some time together in between duties, things couldn't be any better. Well, unless until the day he proposes."

"I'm really happy for you," said Audrey. "I mean it."

"What about you and Jay?" asked Mal.

Jay happened to be eavesdropping and stood next to Audrey. "We are doing great."

"Nice of you to show up, hero," said Audrey with slight sarcasm.

"Don't be mad," said Jay, putting his arm around Audrey.

Audrey just chuckles. "I guess I shouldn't be."

Jay and Audrey shared a kiss, right in front of Mal, who was trying to look away.

"Why look away? You and Ben kiss already," said Jay.

"That doesn't mean I like seeing others do it," said Mal.

"Audrey, why don't you go see Lonnie? Mal and I need to talk," said Jay.

Audrey walks away.

Jay tells Mal, "Don't tell Ben I told you, but he wants to take you back to the Enchanted Lake for 'something special.'"

"Is he breaking up with me?" asked Mal.

Jay reacted with a confused look. "Why would a break-up be special?"

"I'm just messing with you," said Mal, smiling. "What is it?"

Jay looks around to see if anyone was listening. Before he can tell Mal what Ben's secret is, he was interrupted.

"Hey, Mal." It was Ben.

"Hey, Ben," greeted Mal. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks," said Ben. "Uh, Jay, mind if I borrow Mal for a moment?"

"She's your girl. She's all yours for as long as you want," said Jay, walking away.

Ben looks back at Mal. "Mal, there's, um, something I need to ask you, but we need to talk somewhere private..."

"Like the Enchanted Lake," interrupted Mal.

"How did you know?" asked Ben.

"Jay told me," answered Mal. "Don't worry. He told me 'where' but he didn't tell me 'what'. You showed up before he can spill the beans."

"So, do you mind taking us there right now?" asked Ben.

"But what about your party? It's your birthday," said Mal.

"I'm sure they won't mind if I'm gone for a few minutes," said Ben.

"Well..." Mal holds out her hand.

Ben grabs hold of Mal's hand, then the sorceress teleports both of them out of the castle.

* * *

At the Enchanted Lake...

"So, what's this 'something special' you needed to talk to me about?" asked Mal.

Ben hesitated for a moment. Mal can tell that he was feeling nervous. Ben walks towards near the edge of the pavilion and stares at the enchanted waters, trying to steady himself so he can speak clearly. After a deep breath, he looks back at Mal and speaks.

"Mal, before I met you, my life has been full of luxury and happiness. I had two loving parents, great friends, and a, uh, honestly not-so-bad girlfriend... but when I met you, my life just turned around. You have given me every reason why I should never doubt my first proclamation. I changed your life, you changed mine. All I wanted is for you to be happy here. I spend every day making sure you always had a smile on your face. In spite of everything that happened these past couple years, I'm happy to see you accepting your new life. You are truly a unique woman and I love you so much. If there's one woman in this world I want to spend my entire life with, it's you."

To Mal's surprise, Ben gets down on one knee and takes out a small box from his pocket. She covered her gaping mouth as she probably knows what was coming next. Ben opens the box, revealing a diamond ring.

Ben pops the question that Mal knew he was gonna ask.

"Mal, will you marry me?"

Tears of joy begin to build up Mal's eyes. She kneels down and gives her answer.

"Yes."

Mal gives Ben a hug before giving him a kiss. After the kiss, Ben slips the ring on her finger. Mal continued crying tears of joy, but she didn't care. The day she's been waiting for has finally come.

"When do we tell everyone?" asked Mal.

"We can tell them right now," said Ben.

Mal takes Ben's hand and teleports them back to the party.

* * *

While the people in the ballroom rejoice as Mal and Ben announce their engagement, there were only two people who weren't in the room, or to be more specific, not in the castle to hear the wonderful news. One was a boy with white hair and a love for tinkering with technology, while the other is a blue-haired young woman with a magic mirror. They were out in the castle garden in the bright moonlight.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" started Carlos.

"Can you believe it's been two years since that night that changed everything?" replied Evie.

"I can't believe I missed a night like this last year," said Carlos.

"I was so looking forward to our first anniversary," said Evie. "Too bad Maleficent took you away before the day came."

"Well, I'm here," said Carlos. "No use lingering in the past."

Evie looks at her boyfriend. "As you always say..."

"The past is past," they said at the same time.

"We've been through a lot," said Carlos. "It's nice to know that all the crazy stuff is finally over."

"Do you really believe that?" asked Evie.

"I thought you do," said Carlos.

"I guess I'm not as optimistic as I sound," said Evie.

"Well, I do believe our troubles have passed," said Carlos. "From now on, we can start living normal lives. Well, as normal as it gets in a world full of magic."

"Only one more summer until we have to be separated," mentioned Evie.

"That's why I took you here," said Carlos. "To spend as much time together while it lasts."

"I feel guilty leaving Ben's party," said Evie. "Then again, he and Mal just poofed away."

Carlos didn't respond, but he had a strange look on his face.

"Why do I get the suspicion you're not telling me something?" questioned a suspicious Evie.

"I know why Mal and Ben left, but I'm not gonna tell you," said Carlos. "We can just ask them when we get back inside. Besides, this secret involves them, not me."

"If it doesn't involve you, how do you know it?" asked Evie.

"Jay and I accidentally eavesdropped on Ben earlier today," confessed Carlos. "Don't worry. We overheard that he was gonna speak to Mal tonight, and, well, tonight is the night."

"I'm just gonna take a guess," said Evie. After thinking for a few seconds, she makes a guess. "He's proposing to her."

"What makes you say that?" asked Carlos.

"Mal told me that Ben was gonna propose when they're both 18," said Evie. "Well, Ben just turned 18 today, so they're both legally at the right age to get married."

"Well, you're correct," said Carlos.

"We'll congratulate them after we're done here," said Evie.

"If we're not out here all night," joked Carlos.

The two let out a little laugh.

"Hey, when you turn 18 next year, will you propose to me?" asked Evie.

"Maybe," answered Carlos.

"Why 'maybe'?" questioned Evie.

"I guess having a girlfriend who is a school year ahead of you has some disadvantages," said Carlos. "But don't worry. The time will come. Just be patient."

"Make sure my engagement ring is beautiful," said Evie.

"I'll be sure the wedding ring is even more beautiful," said Carlos.

Soon, the wind started to get stronger. However, it actually just adds to an already beautiful night. The flowers danced to the wind, as well as Evie's hair. When Carlos takes out his phone, Evie poses for her picture. After the picture, Evie takes Carlos' hand and started dancing like they're in the ballroom.

"Wait," said Carlos. "We need music."

Carlos takes out his phone and plays a song.

"I recorded this song this morning," he said. "I was waiting until tonight to play it to you."

Carlos puts his phone on max volume and returned to dancing with Evie.

 _..._

 _All my life, I was all alone_

 _Then I met you, I felt cold to the bone_

 _My heart was beating quickly and my face was burning_

 _I never knew until now what I was feeling_

 _xxx_

 _Without you, I spent my whole life fighting_

 _Every minute, I felt like crying_

 _I was nothing more than just a boy_

 _Nothing more than a washed up toy_

 _xxx_

 _Now I'm here with you_

 _There is nothing I'd rather do_

 _Than be here by your side_

 _I feel like I'm on a brand new ride_

 _xxx_

 _I never knew I could feel this way_

 _It all becomes even more clear every day_

 _My eyes sparkles when I see you_

 _You make me smile when I feel blue_

 _xxx_

 _All this time, I hid myself from you_

 _I was afraid I would melt into goo_

 _Facing you was my worst fear_

 _I was scared of coming near_

 _xxx_

 _Now that I'm here with you_

 _There is nothing I'd rather do_

 _Than be here by your side_

 _I feel like I'm on a brand new ride_

 _xxx_

 _I never knew how to say 'I love you'_

 _But when I finally built my courage_

 _It was time for my breakthrough_

 _Finally came out the backstage_

 _xxx_

 _Have I ever told you that you complete me_

 _I can never take my eyes off you_

 _With you, I finally feel free_

 _No longer do I feel blue_

 _xxx_

 _With you, I feel like I'm on a sweet ride_

 _Never letting the wind blow me away_

 _It's only possible when I see your eyes_

 _And every day, you always know what to say_

 _xxx_

 _Now that I'm here with you_

 _There is nothing I'd rather do_

 _Than be here by your side_

 _I feel like I'm on a brand new ride_

 _I feel like I'm on a brand new ride_

 _With you_

 _..._

When the song stopped, the two lovers finished dancing and stared at each other's eyes.

"That's a beautiful song," said Evie. "You have a great voice."

"Thanks," said Carlos.

"I love you," said Evie.

"I love you," said Carlos.

The two capped off the dance with a kiss. The kiss deepened as they embraced each other. The two just let the wind do its work as they enjoyed this moment together. After two years of struggles and hardship, there is nothing that can stand in their way of a happily ever after. One purple-haired sorceress would say that the story started with these two and it's only fitting it ends with them.

 **THE END**

 **Leave a review. Please.**

 **I hope you loved this story. It's far from spectacular, but I hope it was good. I hate to announce this, but this is the last story of my Descendants series. For those who follow my work, don't worry. That doesn't mean I'm finished with writing Descendants stories. I just need a break. Although, I am planning on publishing a story on my first anniversary as a FanFiction writer, which is a month away. Also, I'm planning a reboot. My next Descendants series will take place after Descendants 2. Since the premiere is still a year away, it's gonna be a long wait. Another thing I want to say is that I'm gonna try a new tone for my new stories. I've noticed that my stories have a darker tone and slightly more mature concepts than the film. Next time, I'm gonna try to make things lighter. After all, we all loved the movie because it was fun, charming, hilarious, and magical.**

 **I still hoped you loved my stories. I would like to thank all those who reviewed and followed my stories, also to those who added them to their favorites list.**

 **Special mentions: 21stCenturyDragonRider, Mysterywriter24, CarvieCamfia, Brooke357, blackkitty5133, dancergymnast2003, alexc1209, KittyCheshireLuv**

 **:)**

 **Read and write to your heart's content.**


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